Safe in the Arms of Love
by Matthew White
Summary: As disaster looms on two fronts, Gilligan comes to terms with his feelings.
1. Prologue

**Safe in the Arms of Love**

**A Gilligan's Island Story**

Written by Matthew R. White

© August 3, 2012

Based on the Characters and series created by Sherwood Schwartz

...

**Historians Note:** This story takes place about four and a half years after the shipwreck.

**Author's Note:** This story is based on the television series, but should be considered A/U to the movies. It's a bit more serious look at our seven castaways than was portrayed on the TV screen although there are some lighthearted classic Gilligan moments. Anyone who has read my profile, knows that I am a sci-fi addict who also happens to be a "dyed in the wool" romantic. I'm also a hard core Mary Ann fan and have been since the day the show aired. (I was five.) This is a new venue for me and I stand with the MAG shippers in the group. I've read several MAG stories (too many to list) that I truly enjoyed, so I decided to have a go at it myself. I hope everyone enjoys the story.

* * *

**Prologue:**

_It should be me, lying there. Not her._

It was almost midnight as the despondent young man held a vigil at his friend's bedside, having not moved since he carried her back to camp. Outside the supply hut, the remaining members of the group were gathered around the table, engaged in muted conversation. A very somber mood had settled on the community of castaways.

He gazed back his friend as she lay motionless on the bed.

"It should be me," he said aloud. He didn't notice the door open behind him and jumped when the new arrival spoke.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

"That's okay, Ginger," said Gilligan. He suddenly became self conscious as he was still holding Mary Ann's hand, but despite his embarrassment, he held on fast. He was sure Ginger had noticed, but instead of teasing him, she only smiled.

"Has she stirred at all?" she asked, taking the seat across from him.

"No," said Gilligan, as he looked back to Mary Ann. He gently brushed aside a strand of her hair which was covering her cheek. "The Professor checked on her a little while ago. He said that nothing had changed."

Gilligan paused for a moment, "She saved my life, Ginger. She risked her life to save me. Why did she do that?"

It was a rhetorical question and they both knew it.

Mary Ann and Gilligan had been climbing up to a cave, set into the side of the ledge, to ascertain its usefulness as a shelter. Just as they were about to enter the cavern, a large group of boulders came loose from the top of the entrance, just above Gilligan's head. Without a second thought, Mary Ann pushed him out of the way as the rocks fell, one of them striking a glancing blow on the back of her head.

Roy Hinkley had examined the young woman as soon as Gilligan had brought her back to camp. Externally, Mary Ann's injuries seemed superficial, as she had a bump on the back of her head where the rock had hit her. But she had lost consciousness immediately after the accident, and despite the Professor's best efforts, Mary Ann had slipped into a coma. Afraid of exacerbating her injuries, the Professor chose to leave her where Gilligan had placed her. While he had some medical knowledge, he was not a qualified physician. "All we can do now," he said grimly, "is wait." And even though he knew much less than the Professor, Gilligan was certain, that the longer Mary Ann stayed in the coma, the less likely she would come out of it. _Not that it will matter in the long run,_ he thought, remembering the looming threat that endangered them all.

Throughout the day and into the evening, each member of the group had paid Gilligan a visit, as he stood watch over his companion, trying in vain to keep his spirits raised. Ginger noticed that his dinner had hardly been touched which, for him, was unheard of.

"You should try to eat something, Gilligan."

"Not hungry."

"You're always hungry," she retorted, in a feeble attempt to make light.

The first mate didn't respond as his attention was drawn back to the unconscious figure in the bed beside him.

"I didn't tell her, Ginger," said Gilligan, his voice cracking as he spoke. "I didn't get the chance. And now…"

Ginger reached and placed her hand on top of his. A few weeks ago, the shy young man would have withdrawn in embarrassment, but Ginger's forwardness hardly fazed him as his concerns were rooted elsewhere.

"I think she already knows, Gilligan," she said. "In fact, I think she's known for a long time."

_I know_, Gilligan thought,_ I should have said something sooner. I've wasted the last five years of our lives._

"I was going to tell her," he said. "I really was."

Releasing his hand, Ginger stood from her chair and turned to go. Before she reached the door, she twirled around.

"Why don't you tell her now?" she asked, suddenly.

Gilligan looked up to the flame headed actress, "Why? She can't hear me."

"Do you know that for sure?" countered Ginger. "I was in a movie once where the female lead was in a coma and she could hear everything her friends and family were saying. In fact, it was her boyfriend's profession of love that brought her out of the coma."

"I'll bet you played the girl in the coma."

"Well, yes. I did," Ginger remarked, somewhat coyly.

The exchange had brought a brief smile to his face and he looked back at Mary Ann.

"I wish…I wish, this was like the movies," he sighed. "I'd tell her how I feel, I'd kiss her, she would wake up, and we would live happily ever after."

He shook his head in a mixture of sadness and embarrassment of his admission, "I don't know a lot of stuff, like the Professor or Mr. Howell, but I do know that life doesn't work like that."

"Gilligan," she began, "miracles do happen. The Professor once told me that many people in comas have claimed to have heard the voices of those around them. Tell her how you feel, Gilligan. What do you have to lose?"

With that, Ginger stepped out into the night leaving a bemused Gilligan to consider what she had said.

_She's right,_ said the voice in his head.

Even with no one around, Gilligan had to force himself to gather up his courage. He turned back to his dearest friend, thinking, _no, she's much more than a friend. Tell her Gilligan. Don't chicken out now._

"I love you, Mary Ann. I've always loved you. Please wake up. I don't want to lose you"

With that, he leaned over and kissed her.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1:**

July 20, 1969; three weeks earlier;

"_Okay, I'm going to step off the LEM now,"_ a disembodied voice came from the radio.

Around the table, the seven castaways had gathered, in barely contained excitement, as they listened to history unfolding.

"Oh boy, Professor, this is exciting…"

"Quiet Gilligan," bellowed the Skipper. He reached for his hat to swat the young man but was quickly restrained by a look of warning from the brunette Kansas farm girl. Realizing that he was about to break a promise, he relented and turned his attention back to the radio.

"_That's one small step for man" – a pause- "one giant leap for mankind."_

The group listened intently, memorized by the narration provided by the two American astronauts as they walked on the surface of the moon.

When the station paused for identification, the conversation around the table picked up.

"By Jove, I should have bought more Grumman stock," exclaimed Mr. Howell.

"Thurston, you're always thinking about your portfolio," admonished his wife.

"Of course I am, Lovey dear, how else did I get my reputation as the wolf of Wall Street?"

The group was sharing a laugh when Ginger piped up, "I dated an astronaut once."

"Really, Ginger, I thought they were all married?" asked the Skipper.

"Not _all_ of them," she added, winking at the Professor.

The Professor turned to Gilligan, hoping to redirect the conversation, "Gilligan was right. This is very exciting. We are all witnessing a pivotal moment in history."

"Yeah, and not only that, it's something that will change the world forever," Gilligan replied, innocently restating the Professor's observation.

"That's what I mean," said the Professor, though not unkindly.

Next to Gilligan, Mary Ann had to suppress a giggle. She leaned against him, her hand placed gently on his shoulder, letting him know in her own way that she wasn't laughing at him. It was innocent moments like this which, while driving the rest of the group crazy, made her own heart flutter. Several months prior, Gilligan, being Gilligan, had managed to botch a rescue plan when an overhead pass occurred during the Apollo 7 mission. Because of a similar mishap some time ago, the rest of the group opted to give him the silent treatment. That is, except for Mary Ann.

She had always felt sorry for Gilligan every time he stumbled into trouble because she knew, in spite of his ineptness, he always had the best of intentions. And he would do anything for any of them. Mary Ann was convinced that much of his clumsiness and shyness came from a great lack of self assurance. And the treatment he received when he messed up did nothing to boost his confidence.

When Gilligan disappeared after the incident, the rest of the group was stunned to see the seemingly shy petite farm girl transform into an angry whirlwind that rivaled a Kansas tornado. After dressing them all down, she ran to the cave, on the other side of the island, where she knew she would find the hapless young man.

Gilligan had been surprised to see her, and outright shocked to learn how she stood in his defense. "I'm not going back to camp without you," she told him that night. He called her bluff, only to find out she wasn't bluffing. Because of Gilligan's stubborn streak, they spent the night in the cave.

The next morning, Gilligan relented and returned to camp with her to find five very worried and apologetic companions. Later that day, the Howells, Ginger, the Professor, and the Skipper, each made Mary Ann a promise to be a little more forgiving of Gilligan's mishaps.

As the radio station switched back to live coverage of the moonwalk, Mary Ann's thoughts were brought back to the present.

_Gilligan is right, this is exciting._

_..._

By late morning, the EVA on the moon was over and the castaways went about their daily activities. The Professor was working on a project in his lab, the Howells were in the clearing, sunning themselves, the Skipper had gone fishing, Mary Ann was doing laundry, and Gilligan was returning from harvesting coconuts and pineapples. With two sacks full of his wares, he barged into the supply hut, startling the Professor.

"Oh, sorry Professor, I didn't know you were here." Gilligan set down his load and strolled over to the table. "What are you working on?"

The Professor had the HF transceiver, which had been salvaged from the Minnow, disassembled on his bench.

"Do you remember the crate that washed up on the beach last week?"

"Yeah," said Gilligan. "It had a bunch of circuit boards in it."

"That's correct, Gilligan. At the time, I thought none of the parts would be useful. But as it turns out, the transistors on these boards, are of the same type used in the IF strip in the receiver section of the radio."

"So you will be able to fix the radio?" asked the young man.

"I can repair the receiver, but the power amplifier in the transmitter uses tubes, and we don't have any spares."

Gilligan cringed, remembering it was him who had dropped the transceiver while they were stripping out the Minnow, breaking the tubes in the process.

"It doesn't matter, Gilligan," the Professor said quickly, noticing the young man's reaction. "Without the engine powered alternator, to produce the high voltage required by the tubes, the transmitter section would not have worked anyway."

"We can't use the pedal powered generator that you use to charge the batteries in the radio?"

"No, I'm afraid not. You see, Gilligan, the small generator only produces twelve volts. This was used to charge the batteries on the Minnow. The alternator which powered the transmitter produced two hundred volts. The good news is we can use the battery from the Minnow to power the shortwave receiver. We'll be able to better monitor the weather broadcasts, as well as being able to keep tabs on the nearby shipping. If we know exactly when the big ships will be in the area, we'll have a better chance of one of them spotting a signal fire."

Gilligan's eyes lit up, "Oh boy, Professor. I can't wait to tell Mary Ann! See you later!"

As he blasted out of the hut, the Professor raised an eyebrow.

...

As he jogged to the clearing, where Mary Ann was doing laundry, Gilligan abruptly stopped in his tracks. _If we get rescued, what's going to happen to us,_ he thought, realizing, that the word "us" implies a couple. _A couple, as in boyfriend and girlfriend…_

Gilligan tried to imagine her going back to Kansas alone, and the very idea of him never seeing her again, left a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach. But the thought of having a girlfriend terrified him, the real reason being unknown to the rest of his companions, save Mary Ann. And even she didn't know all of the details, only that he had his heart broken by someone in his past. "Even the Skipper doesn't know about this," he had told her. Mary Ann had listened without pressing him for more than he was ready to share. Her patience and understanding allowed him to feel safe and consequently drew them closer to each other.

To the rest of the group, Mary Ann and Gilligan had always been very close. So close that Mrs. Howell had tried to match them up soon after they were shipwrecked. Gilligan chucked as he remembered how the attempt had led to some awkward moments for both of them. After that, both of them told the others that they were just close friends, and for the most part, the group accepted that. After the incident with Jonathan Kincaid, a subtle change took place between them. Gilligan hadn't really thought about it until now and he wondered if Mary Ann felt the same way. _In many ways we act like…a couple._

Suddenly Gilligan wondered if he wanted to be rescued.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

Mary Ann was in a good mood. She had finished all of the laundry and had most of it hanging to dry. The day had turned out to be very warm and she had worked up a good sweat.

_Maybe I can get Gilligan to take me swimming,_ she thought to herself.

As she pegged up the remaining articles of clothing, she pondered the direction that their relationship had taken. From the day they met, Mary Ann found herself enamored with the shy first mate, but much to her dismay, their relationship developed more along platonic lines rather than being romantic. That is, until quite recently.

Gilligan was spending a lot more of his free time with her, especially since she had rushed to his defense a few months ago. He began to relax whenever he was in her company and to her delight Gilligan was not nearly as clumsy when he was alone with her. Over time, it became apparent, at least to her, that their affection for each other was more than platonic. It started with harmless hand holding but soon evolved to quick pecks on the cheek. Then, one night while they were walking down the moonlit beach, she reached up to give him a quick peck when her heart did a back flip as he took her lips with his. The kiss was slow and gentle and, to Mary Ann, seemed to go on forever. It had left her breathless and just thinking about it sent shivers up her spine. She closed her eyes as she relived the moment, taking in the tingling sensations that coursed through her.

"I'm still scared, Mary Ann," he said, when the kiss had ended. She knew Gilligan's admission was honest and it told her that he wasn't afraid of girls, he was afraid of being hurt again. Rather than talking about love and commitment she decided to show him how she felt by simply returning his affection, and to this day, the parameters of their relationship remained unspoken. _He'll tell me when he is ready,_ she thought. _I've waited this long._

Mary Ann was brought out of her reverie by the sound of rustling along the path. She looked up and smiled as Gilligan approached.

"Hi Mary Ann," he said, as he came around the corner.

"Hi Gilligan! I'm almost done…"

As she was speaking, the hapless young man tripped on a branch and fell into the line support post, snapping it in half, dropping the clean clothing onto the ground.

"Oh, Gilligan," she said, unable to keep the frustration out of her voice. _So much for not being clumsy,_ she thought. Just as quickly she forced those thoughts from her mind.

"Are you all right?" she asked, in a much kinder tone.

"Yeah," he said, while she helped him to his feet. He surveyed the carnage and Mary Ann knew he had heard the disappointment in her voice.

"I'll run back to the supply hut and get something to fix this. I'm sorry, Mary Ann."

One look at his face told her that he was upset about something other than the laundry. As he turned to go back, she reached out to grab his hand.

"Hey."

She pulled him back into an embrace, burying her head in his chest. Slowly he returned her affection, wrapping her in his arms.

"I'm really sorry…"

"Stop apologizing," she said. "It was an accident."

She pulled away just enough to look up at him.

"What's bothering you?" she asked.

Gilligan led her to the nearby bench and they sat down. He took a deep breath and began.

"The Professor might have figured out a way to get us off the island," he said. As he told her about the Professor's plan, Mary Ann began to get excited, that is, until she realized that this was the reason Gilligan was troubled.

"Think about it, Mary Ann. What will you do if we get rescued?"

"I'd probably go back home to Kansas," she said, not quite yet realizing the implications.

"The Skipper had the Minnow insured, so it will be replaced and I'm still his first mate. If I stay on as the Skipper's first mate and you go back to Kansas, we will be thousands of miles from each other."

"I may never see you again," he added, his voice cracking as he finished.

Mary Ann looked up at him, now mirroring his concern, "I hadn't thought about that," she said in a tiny voice. "Oh, Gilligan, what are we going to do?"

"I think we need to talk about it…" The pair heard the Skipper coming down the path and Gilligan quickly added, "How about tonight while we are walking on the beach?"

Mary Ann nodded, "Okay," but inside, she felt her heart pounding at double time.

They separated just as the Skipper came into the clearing.

"What happened here, little buddy?" he asked.

Before Gilligan could respond, Mary Ann interjected, "The post was rotted out and I didn't notice. It collapsed under the weight of the clothes. Gilligan is going to help me fix it."

The Skipper examined the wood and he pointed out where it had been weakened.

"This wood wasn't treated correctly and the bugs got into it. Gilligan, before you sink a new piece, coat it with some of the marine varnish. It doesn't have to be dry when you bury it."

"Sure Skipper," said Gilligan. He trudged off back in the direction of the camp.

When they were alone the Skipper turned back to Mary Ann. "The post didn't break under the weight of the clothes, did it?"

"Why would you say that?" asked Mary Ann, trying to bluff her way through.

The Skipper pointed down to the broken pole, "I know my little buddy. Besides, that is a clean break. That means the pole was subjected to a sudden force."

Mary Ann sighed, "Please don't say anything to him, Skipper. He has done so well and I don't want to see him get discouraged."

"I promise," said the Skipper. "Hey, did Gilligan tell you the good news?"

"What good news?" she asked.

"About being rescued?"

"Oh, that," Mary Ann replied.

"Well, aren't you excited?" asked the Skipper, incredulously.

"I've learned not to get my hopes up, Skipper. I'll believe it when we are all on the boat sailing back to Hawaii," she lied.

"Well, I hope we are on that boat soon. I'll see you later, Mary Ann. I've got to tell the Howells."

When the Skipper left, she gathered up the now dirty clothing and tossed them back into the wash tub. As she rewashed the clothes she couldn't help but think about what Gilligan was going to say to her later. A smile came to her when she considered the words she had heard on the radio that morning and how they related to the situation. _This is a giant leap for Gilligan._


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

Dinner was finished around dusk. While Mary Ann and Ginger cleared away and washed the dishes, Gilligan was helping the Professor set up his new telescope. This was a bigger instrument than the one he had constructed earlier and it sat on a homemade mount. The Professor had spent nearly six months grinding the glass for the optics.

The moon was still up, it's waxing crescent visible even in the residual sunlight. The Professor trained the instrument on the moon and brought it into focus.

"Incredible," he said, quite pleased with the results.

"How does it work, Professor?"

The Professor relinquished the eyepiece and said, "Have a look."

Gilligan peered through the telescope and found himself drawn in by the detail. He could see all the nooks and crannies of the lunar craters and it was if he could touch the surface of the moon.

"Can we see the astronauts?"

"No, Gilligan. I'm afraid not. You see, the moon is almost a quarter of a million miles away. Even the most powerful telescope in the world isn't capable of resolving that much detail."

Gilligan thought about that for a moment, "I guess we are all pretty small, compared to outer space, that is."

An object very near the moon caught Gilligan's eye. "Are you sure we can't see them, Professor? I see something just to the right of the moon."

"Oh, let me look."

Roy Hinkley scanned the view field, quickly finding the object that Gilligan was referring to.

"I see it," he said, but his brow furrowed in confusion. _That wasn't there before._

"Is it the _Columbia_?" Gilligan asked again.

"No, it's not. Like I said, the Apollo spacecraft is too small. I'm not sure what it is."

Roy Hinkley thumbed through one of his books until he came to a star map. But none of the stars in that section of the sky were as bright as the object he was seeing.

"This doesn't make sense," said the Professor. "The magnitude is all wrong."

"You mean it's too bright?"

"That's correct, Gilligan. All of the stars in this small section of sky are magnitude nine or greater. Whatever this object is, it's much brighter, say around magnitude five."

"Maybe you have discovered something new, Professor."

"It's possible, I suppose, but, whatever it is, Gilligan, it's your discovery. After all, you saw it first."

The Professor opened up a notepad and started jotting down figures. He was soon engrossed in what he was doing and Gilligan wandered back to the table where Mr. Howell and the Skipper were engaged in a conversation.

...

Mary Ann didn't normally fuss too much with herself when she was getting ready for, what had become her nightly stroll on the beach with Gilligan. But, she was expecting tonight to be very special. She paid a little more attention to her makeup, being careful not to overdo it, knowing full well Gilligan didn't care for that. She opted to put her hair up, as it was still quite warm and her attire consisted of a red orange halter top and a pair of blue short shorts. It was an outfit she knew Gilligan liked.

"My, aren't we getting gussied up tonight," said Ginger, who had watching her with amused interest.

"Maybe I just want to look nice, for a change," Mary Ann retorted.

"For Gilligan?" she asked. "I doubt he would even notice."

Mary Ann was annoyed at first, but she soon chuckled to herself, knowing the opposite was true. Gilligan did notice, and the thought of this thrilled her to no end. _If you only knew, Ginger._

"Still," Ginger continued. "The two of you have been spending quite a bit of time together. Moonlight walks on the beach? That sounds awfully romantic."

"I've always liked the beach at night, and I enjoy Gilligan's company," said Mary Ann. She quickly added, "He's not as inept as you think." He voice had a trace of defensiveness to it. _There's something for you to think about._

Mary Ann stood from her vanity and turned to go, "See you later," she added, walking out the door.

Ginger watched her younger roommate leave thinking, _Gilligan, romantic? Nah, it can't be._ Her mind conjured up an image of the two youngest castaways engaged in a romantic encounter.

"Ginger Grant, that is the craziest idea you have ever had," she said aloud. "Still…"

The thought of missing out on some good gossip material trumped her reasoning and she formulated a plan. "I wonder what the Professor is doing later," she said, thinking she might kill two birds with one stone.

...

Outside, Gilligan was still waiting for her at the table, only half paying attention to the conversation.

"You're awfully quiet, Gilligan," remarked the Skipper. "I don't think you said two words at dinner."

"Just doing some thinking, Skipper."

He braced himself for more questioning when Mary Ann came out of her hut and joined them at the table. Gilligan was on his feet before he knew it.

_She looks…beautiful,_ he thought, as she sauntered up beside him.

"I'm ready to go," she shyly said.

"M…Mary Ann, you l…look…very nice."

"Why thank you, Gilligan. Shall we?"

The young sailor offered his arm and she linked it with her own. Together, they strode towards the path leading to the west beach.

As they walked away, the Skipper turned to Mr. Howell, "What do you make of this?"

"Captain, I've seen many expressions in my day and I can tell you right now. Gilligan is quite smitten with that young lady, and she is just as taken by him."

"They are very close, Mr. Howell. They've been friends since we were shipwrecked. Do you really think we have a romance brewing in our midst?"

"I think it's quite apparent, Skipper. The real question is, do they know."

"I can't believe it my little buddy is in love. I can't wait to congratulate him."

Mr. Howell chuckled knowingly, "If I may make a suggestion, Captain. Let's leave them be. And for goodness sake, please don't tell Lovey. I'm sure you remember what happened the last time."

...

While the Skipper and Mr. Howell were speculating, Ginger had plans of her own. She sauntered up behind the Professor while he was looking through his telescope and placed her hands in his shoulders.

"Got any stars you'd like to show me?" she asked in her most sultry voice.

"How about an asteroid?" he asked, his eye still glued to the scope.

"Well that doesn't sound very romantic, Professor," she replied.

Roy knew that she wanted something, namely, his attention. And she wasn't going to give up until she got it. He pulled away from his work and turned to face her.

"What can I do for…," The Professor found himself lost for words as he gazed at the woman standing in front of him as she had pulled out all the stops with her appearance. "…you, Ginger."

"Now that I have your attention," she continued in full temptress mode. "I was wondering if you would mind taking a midnight stroll with me."

"Well, uh, I have to…"

Ginger leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, "Have to what?" she asked, her lips only inches from his.

"Uh, it's, well…I guess it can wait 'til later."

"Good," she said and kissed him quickly. "Besides, I'm on a mission."

With that, she wrapped herself on his arm and they strolled in the same direction that Mary Ann and Gilligan had taken.

...

At the table, Mr. Howell and the Skipper watched the two disappear into the jungle. The Skipper looked back at Mr. Howell.

"I think love is in the air."

"Either that or it's something in the water. By Jove, a love potion! I could make a fortune!" With that, Mr. Howell downed the rest of his water and rose from the table.

"If you'll excuse me, Captain, I need to find my wife."

Alone at the table, the Skipper heard the strains of _Another Saturday Night_ playing on the radio. He reached over and flipped the power off.

"It figures."


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

The crescent moon was just approaching the horizon as Mary Ann and Gilligan reached the beach. Its reflection added to the already serine setting and a gentle breeze blew in from the water, just enough to put a slight chill in the air. It was a welcome relief after the blistering heat of the day.

Gilligan staked out a palm tree close to the shore and laid out the blanket they had brought. They sat down, Gilligan resting against the tree and Mary Ann's back against his chest. He gently rested his arms next to her and she pulled them around her midriff, placing her arms on his.

Settled in, they watched the moon as it started its dip below the horizon. On a moonless night, the sky would fill with stars and, without light pollution, they could see so many more than on the mainland. One night, Mary Ann asked him about the stars and constellations and Gilligan named a few of them. Spica, Antares, Arcturus, Vega, and Denab, were all visible in the summer sky, and he had pointed them all out to her. As a former navy sailor, these stars were like old friends as seamen had been navigating by them for centuries.

Sometimes they would sit in silence, just enjoying the sheer beauty of the heavens above, and sometimes they would talk all night, about anything and everything. Tonight, they were both anticipating contemplative conversation.

"The moon is almost gone, Gilligan. We should be able to see the Milky Way tonight."

"Yeah," he agreed. "We should be able to see it good."

He paused a moment before continuing, "I still can't believe that man has walked on the moon."

Mary Ann didn't answer right away, something that wasn't uncommon for either of them during their quiet time.

"Gilligan, do you think normal people will ever get the chance to travel to the moon?" she finally asked.

"Someday," he responded, "maybe even in our lifetime. The Professor said one day flying to the moon will be as common as flying from Honolulu to Wichita."

Mary Ann squeezed his hand and he knew that she was thinking the same thing, that is, the thought of being separated from one another. It was a while before she spoke again.

"If someone asked you about us, Gilligan, what would you tell them?"

"What do you mean, Mary Ann?"

"About our…relationship, would you tell them we are friends or, something else?"

Gilligan knew that his answer was going to open a new door for them. _Am I ready to trust someone again?_ He pondered this for a while. He finally said, "I think we are much more than friends, Mary Ann."

A tear rolled from her eye and she pulled his arms tighter around her. "I think so too."

Her admission didn't frighten him as much as he thought it would. "I guess this makes us a couple, you know, boyfriend and girlfriend," he said, after a while.

"Yeah, I guess it does."

Mary Ann moved to his side and Gilligan scooted down so they could face each other. She reached out to caress his shoulder.

"I'm still a little scared, Mary Ann."

"Just a little," she asked.

"Well, maybe a little more than a little."

"I think it's okay to be scared," she said. "It's like sailing on uncharted waters."

"Or exploring an uncharted island," he added. "Mary Ann, I wish…I wish we could stay here, you know, on the island, even if the others get rescued."

"I think I'd like that, Gilligan." She reached above his face, pushing a strand of hair aside. "Whatever happens, I've decided that I'm staying with you, it doesn't matter whether it's Honolulu or Wichita."

Gilligan turned onto his back and Mary Ann settled in next to him with his arm around her. Unlike the first night they had snuggled, where he felt somewhat awkward, having her in his arms now, seemed natural and he found himself completely at ease with her. At least while they were alone.

"Are we going to tell the others, I mean…about us?" he asked.

"I don't know, Gilligan. I don't really want to hide anything, but, I'm not ready to make a public announcement either. What do you think?"

"I'd like to keep it our secret, at least for now," said Gilligan. "But I think the Skipper knows that something is up."

"So doesn't Ginger," Mary Ann replied. "And I might have helped that along a little bit."

"How?"

Mary Ann sighed, "I got upset when she said that you wouldn't notice if I did myself up. It really made me mad."

"Gee, Mary Ann, what did you say to her?"

"That you weren't as inept as she thought," she replied, coyly. Seeing a look of confusion in his eyes, she continued, "Ginger was trying to say that you didn't know how to be romantic, but I know better."

"Do you really think so?"

"No, Gilligan, I know so," with that, she reached up and kissed him.

As their lips touched, and the kiss became more intense, Gilligan thought, _I love you, Mary Ann. And one day I'm going to work up the courage to tell you._

_..._

"Ginger, this isn't right," objected the Professor, once he learned of her plan to spy on Gilligan and Mary Ann. "They obviously came here for privacy and we should respect that. Besides, this is Gilligan we are talking about. I'm absolutely sure that the thought of romance hasn't even crossed his mind."

"It certainly crossed Mary Ann's mind."

"Why do you say that?" he asked.

"If you'd take your nose out of those books once in a while, you might learn something about women. You didn't see Mary Ann when she left our hut, I did. I'm telling you, Professor, there is something going on between them."

Roy Hinkley shook his head, "Ginger, let's assume you are right, what if they are involved. If they wanted us to know, they would have told us."

"Oh, don't be a party pooper," she retorted. "Shhh, we're coming to the beach."

The pair ducked behind some vegetation just shy of the beach area. There was still enough moonlight to see by and they spotted their quarry nestled against a lone palm tree.

The Professor couldn't believe his eyes. Gilligan had his arms draped around Mary Ann in, what appeared to be, a very tender loving embrace. He almost passed out when he saw Gilligan reach to kiss her on the cheek.

"How romantic," said Ginger, who was obviously enjoying the spectacle. "I didn't think that Gilligan had it in him."

"Neither did I," said the Professor. He had stopped his protests as the scene unfolded before him.

"Oh my God," said Ginger, sometime later, when she witnessed the pair engaged in a prolonged kiss. "Gilligan has become a real man. Come on, Professor, let's go. I can't wait to tell the others."

With that, she led the Professor back to the path. When they were far enough into the jungle, the Professor called to her.

"Ginger, wait."

"What?" she asked.

"Do you consider Mary Ann a friend?"

"Of course I do," Ginger responded defensively. "What kind of a question is that?" The shocked look on her face told him what he needed to know.

"So you wouldn't ever purposely do anything to hurt her?"

"No, I wouldn't. Professor, you must know that? Why would you even suggest it?"

"Ginger, we both know how shy Gilligan is. Somehow, Mary Ann has managed to bring him out of his shell. If we tell everyone what we saw tonight, Gilligan is liable to withdraw again and that would hurt Mary Ann to no end. Is that what you want?"

Ginger sat down on a nearby rock as she considered this.

"I didn't think about that," she said in a small voice. "Oh, Professor, I almost made a terrible mistake."

"I think we should keep this to ourselves. Mary Ann and Gilligan will tell us when they are ready."

"You're right, of course, Professor. Thank you for bringing me to my senses."

She stood and they continued back to camp in contemplative silence. As they approached the clearing, Ginger spoke up.

"It's too bad we can't say anything, Mrs. Howell would jump right into wedding plans for them…"

"Which is another reason we should keep this confidential," interjected the Professor. "The last thing Gilligan and Mary Ann need, is someone pressuring them into marriage. I must confess that I've suspected their relationship to be more than friendship for some time now. But I had no idea that it had evolved to the extent that it has."

When they entered the clearing, Ginger asked, "Show me what you were looking at through you telescope."

"I'm afraid it's too late now. The object has slipped below the horizon and we'll have to wait until tomorrow evening."

"Oh."

The Professor had walked her to her door.

"Good night, Ginger."

As he turned away, she called to him, "Roy?"

The sound of his given name on her lips sent a tingle up his spine.

"Yes?"

"After you finish your observations tomorrow evening, would you mind taking me for another walk?"

"Another spy mission?" he asked.

"No, not this time," she said, almost shyly. "I was thinking about a stroll to the lagoon, that is, if you want to?"

"I'd love to, Ginger. Until tomorrow?"

"Good night, Roy."

...

When she retreated to her hut, the Professor gathered his notepad and covered the telescope. Once inside his own hut, he flipped through the note pad and made a few quick calculations. Whatever this new object was, it seemed to be moving at incredible speed.

The Professor flipped on the shortwave receiver and tuned into the US Naval Observatory frequency. If this was a new object, it was probably being tracked by several agencies and he would be able to compare his data with theirs.

_Depending on who saw it first, Gilligan may very well get the credit. After we are rescued,_ he thought.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

The next few days brought little change to the castaway's routine, save the Professor's keen interest in the new object which Gilligan had spotted, and the good natured speculation which invariably took place whenever Mary Ann and Gilligan would disappear for their evening stroll.

While the Professor had never engaged in idle gossip, Ginger, who thrived on it, was being tormented by the knowledge that she swore to keep under wraps. To distract herself, she spent more time helping the Professor with his asteroid observations. Hinkley would call out readings and Ginger would jot them down for him. The next day, she would read off the figures while the Professor plugged them into spots on the blackboard.

In high school, the actress had displayed an aptitude for mathematics and had studied pre-calculus math in her senior year. It was a talent that went unused as she chose to enter drama school and pursue a career in theater. But the formulas and figures, which the Professor was manipulating, went well beyond anything she was familiar with.

As she watched him jot down equations from memory she found herself awed by his intelligence, an attribute that she found very attractive, and sexy.

To her delight, the Professor had started to take notice her, or, at least he seemed to be. Since the night they witnessed the affection between Mary Ann and Gilligan, Roy had started taking her on their own little nightly stroll. _Maybe being shown up by Gilligan shook him up,_ she thought.

Roy Hinkley and William Gilligan, were markedly different in many ways, yet, in their dealings with the opposite sex, they both seemed shy and unsure. That was, until a few nights ago when she witnessed a side of Gilligan that she never dreamed of seeing. She found herself suddenly envious of her roommate. _I wish Roy would be so relaxed when he cuddles with me._

Ginger stopped daydreaming as the Professor started drawing a diagram on the board. While the equations and numbers meant little to her, she felt she could understand the diagram on the blackboard.

She pointed to the larger sphere, "This is supposed to be the Earth?"

"That's correct, Ginger. And this is the Moon," he said, pointing out the smaller sphere. "And this," he said, pointing at the small circle, "is our asteroid."

The very small circles on the board marked the progression of the object in its path through space. A dotted line represented the course that the Professor believed that the object was going to follow. Ginger noticed that it crossed the orbit of the Earth.

"Does this mean the object is going to hit us," she asked, pointing to the intersecting orbits.

"Not necessarily, Ginger. You see, both the Earth and the asteroid are moving through space. In order for an impact event to take place, both bodies would have to be moving in such a way that they arrive at the same point in space at the same time."

"But you're concerned?"

"Not overly concerned," he countered. "The US Naval Observatory hasn't issued any warnings and their tracking data is much better than the crude methods I'm using. I was just surprised that this object hadn't been noticed before now."

"The way you were watching it, I was getting concerned."

"I wanted to be sure that it was not an object that had already been catalogued. Gilligan did spot it first, and if we ever get off the island, he'll get credit for it."

"I wonder if Gilligan will name it for Mary Ann. Wouldn't that be romantic?"

"Yes, I guess it would be," said the Professor, in the shy tone he used when Ginger was acting frisky.

Ginger walked over to the window and saw the Howells and the Skipper sitting at the table.

"Roy, promise me something?"

"Sure Ginger, what is it?"

"Do you remember when we all thought the island was sinking?"

"Of course I do, Ginger. It turned out that Gilligan was using my measuring poles as markers for his lobster traps."

She smiled as she remembered the hapless first mate's expression when he realized the trouble he had caused. In Gilligan's defense, the Professor should have marked the poles with a warning.

"You, Gilligan, the Skipper, and Mr. Howell chose not to tell us that the island was sinking. If you find out that this asteroid is a danger, promise me that you'll tell us all the truth."

The professor had the grace to look embarrassed. When Mrs. Howell and the girls learned of the impending threat, they didn't panic or carry on as the men thought they would.

"I told you that there is nothing to worry, Ginger. If that changes, you'll be the first person I tell."

"Promise?"

"You have my word," he said.

Ginger glanced up at the Professor's homemade clock, "It's almost time for your broadcast."

"Oh, yes, thank you."

The Professor reached over and switched on the shortwave receiver and tuned to the USNO frequency. The astronomy bulletin was just starting and the Professor opened his notepad to a fresh page to copy down the new data. To his surprise and dismay, the data for what had been coined Object X was missing from the broadcast.

"They omitted the object."

"What do you mean?" asked Ginger.

"The data of the asteroid," he said. "They didn't include it in this broadcast."

"Maybe the object has moved out of range, or it's no longer a threat," Ginger reasoned.

"Possibly, we can check its position tonight."

The omission of an object could have happened for several reasons, but, there was one reason that concerned him. _What if it was classified for national security reasons?_ The Professor needed more information. Despite his promise to Ginger, he had no intention of scaring the others until he had better data.

...

Mary Ann and Gilligan had spent most of the afternoon swimming in the lagoon. It was another warmer than normal day and the cooler water was a welcome relief. Their swimming routine varied, from quiet time sitting in the shallow water, laps around the lagoon, to no holds barred splash fights which Gilligan usually won.

Today, however, Mary Ann had a plan.

She was getting much better at holding her breath and swimming underwater longer. _If I can stay under long enough to sneak behind him…_

As Gilligan doused water on her she disappeared beneath the surface and circled around him. When she figured she was behind him, she moved straight in for his legs, pulling him under. Quickly she broached the surface to catch her breath. She expected him to pop back up right away, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Gilligan?" she called, as an edge of concern colored her voice.

Treading water she looked around now becoming alarmed. She was about to call out again when a tug on her leg startled her. A moment later, a grinning Gilligan popped to the surface.

"Gilligan," she said, both startled and relieved. "You scared me."

"Sorry, Mary Ann…"

He didn't have time to finish as she resumed a determined splash attack. Before he could retaliate, she launched towards the shore, swimming as fast as she could. Not wanting to be outdone, Gilligan tore after her. To her credit, Mary Ann was almost to shore when Gilligan caught up to her. As she tried to stand to run out of the water, he managed to get his arms around her waist and pulled her back down next to him. It was then, that the tickling began and soon they were both laughing uncontrollably.

"Gilligan, stop, I can't catch my breath," she said through her laughter.

Gilligan relented and she wrapped her arms around his neck, still giggling.

Mary Ann was happier than she had ever been. Even the good times she spent on the farm, with her Aunt Martha and Uncle George, seemed to pale in comparison. She turned so that she could lean into his chest. Where they were sitting, the water was just below her neck. The sun was starting to drift below the trees and they were now in the shade.

"We should get back to camp pretty soon, I have to start dinner."

"Yeah, I know," said Gilligan. "Ginger will get mad if she has to cook two nights in a row."

"And everyone else will get mad if Ginger has to cook again," added Mary Ann.

She felt him tighten his arms around her as he kissed her neck. The truth was, she didn't want to leave his arms.

"Gilligan," she began, "do you remember when you told me why you were shy around girls?"

"Yeah, I do." His voice was subdued, like it was anytime he was discussing something uncomfortable. "Do you still want to hear the rest of the story?"

"Yeah, that is, if you still want to tell me."

"Well, you are my girlfriend now and Ginger says that a guy shouldn't keep secrets from his girlfriend."

"Don't listen to everything that Ginger tells you. I don't want you to tell me about this unless you are comfortable with it."

Mary Ann remembered the pain in his eyes when he had told her part of this story. The story was so sad that it had made her cry.

"It's okay, Mary Ann, even though it was hard, I felt better once I told you about it."

Like she had a few months ago, Mary Ann waited patiently for him to continue his story.

"Her name was Laura," Gilligan began, "I met her in my senior year in high school. Her family had moved into town over the summer and she didn't know anyone. We became friends soon after school started. She was in most of my classes."

Mary Ann took his hand as he paused, knowing he would tell the story at his own pace.

"I had never had a girlfriend before, so I was scared to ask her out right away, but, Skinny Mulligan dared me to ask her out. So I did, and I was shocked when she said yes."

"Why would you be surprised?" asked Mary Ann. "You're the sweetest man I know."

"Well, you're still twice as sweet as me," he replied, pausing a moment before continuing his story.

"By Thanksgiving, Laura and I were considered to be a couple. I couldn't believe it, Willie Gilligan, the most unlikely to succeed in love, had a girlfriend. Around prom time, the recruiter from the Navy stopped at our school and I started thinking about what I was going to do after I graduated. I didn't take any college classes, my family couldn't afford it, and I didn't have any skills. If Laura and I were going to ever be married, I needed to find a way to support her and me. So, after graduation, I joined the Navy."

"Did you talk to Laura before you made your decision?"

"Of course, Mary Ann. This was something that was going to affect both of us, and I told her that I wanted to make her happy. I knew I could learn a skill in the Navy, and even though we would be separated, it would only be four years. And with my leave time, I would be able to come home and visit her."

Mary Ann was silently crying, as she had already connected the dots.

"I left for basic training in August," continued Gilligan. "After basic, I was assigned to the U.S.S. Independence, an aircraft carrier. I wrote to Laura almost every day, I missed her so much. Her letters came just as often, for a while. Then they started showing up less and less. Finally, one day, she told me, in a letter, that she was getting married, to someone else."

"Oh, Gilligan, I'm so sorry for you," said Mary Ann. She spun around to face him and took him in her embrace. "I can't even imagine how you must have felt."

"It's okay, Mary Ann. There is a bright side to the story."

"What's that?"

"If she had stayed with me, I wouldn't have met you."

"Oh, Gilligan, you're the best," she said just before she kissed him deeply.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:**

It was well after dinner when the Professor approached Ginger for their evening stroll. As expected, he found her in her hut where she was touching up her makeup.

"I was beginning to wonder if you forgot about me," she admonished him lightly. "It's getting late."

"I'm sorry, that last set of calculations took longer than I expected. Are you ready?"

"Just about," she said, as she applied the final touches to her mascara. "How do I look?"

"You look absolutely beautiful, Ginger."

The tone of his voice caught her by surprise as he had never made that big of a deal about her appearance before.

"Why Professor Hinkley, I do declare, was that a compliment?" she asked, deciding to tease him about it.

"A long overdue compliment," he replied. "Shall we go?"

He offered his arm and the bemused actress smiled as she linked her arm with his.

_I wonder what has gotten into him. Not that I mind._

On the way to the lagoon, the Professor was uncharacteristically quiet. Most other nights, he would ramble on about his latest experiments or contraption he was working on that would make their lives a bit easier. Lately, his interest had been taken up by the asteroid which Gilligan had found, but tonight, it seemed like even that had been tabled.

When they reached the clearing, Ginger turned to face him.

"All right, Roy, talk to me," she said, earnest but gentle. "What's bothering you?"

Hinkley turned to face her, taking her into his arms. Ginger felt her heart quicken its pace and she wrapped her arms around his neck. It was then that she noticed the wistful expression on his face.

"What is it, Roy?" she asked, barely above a whisper.

"Ginger, I have been a fool," he began. "For the past four years, or so, I have been marooned in a virtual paradise, with the most beautiful woman on the planet, and I've squandered the time we had together. And now, it may be too late."

Ginger could hardly believe what she was hearing. Saying nothing, she brought her lips to his, gently at first, but building to a crescendo of passion.

"Oh, Roy," she said, when they came up for air. "It's never too late."

"I don't think you understand," he said. "Two weeks ago, I made you a promise. I haven't told the others, yet…"

Suddenly Ginger realized what he was saying, "Oh my God. You mean…" She stopped mid sentence and looked to the sky.

"Yes."

"How long?"

"Five days, give or take a few hours."

Ginger held on to him, tightly, still trying to come to terms with what she had been told. In the past few years, they all had close brushes with death, in one way or another, but they always seemed to come through it just fine. Why should this time be any different? Still, she was unable to get the feeling of foreboding out of her thoughts.

"Just hold me, Roy. Don't let me go."

...

"Mary Ann, please don't leave. MARY ANN!"

Gilligan suddenly jolted up in his hammock almost capsizing it. Disorientated, it took him a few minutes to get his bearings and realize that he was still safely in his hut. The buzz saw sounds generated by the Skipper's snoring confirmed this.

Carefully, he managed to climb down out of his hammock without disturbing the Skipper. He donned his hat and stepped out of the hut and into the clearing. To his surprise, Ginger was sitting at the table. She seemed to be preoccupied with something.

"Are you all right, Gilligan? I heard you yell out," she asked as he sat down at the table with her.

"It was just a bad dream."

"It must have been some dream. I'm surprised you didn't wake anyone."

While Ginger continued to stare off into space, Gilligan looked to the hut that she shared with Mary Ann.

Seeing his concern, she added, "She's safe, Gilligan."

He turned back to face her, "What do you mean?"

"Mary Ann is still sleeping. You called her name out in your dream."

"I did?"

"Yeah," said Ginger, "you did. It sounded as if you were worried about her."

The pair sat in silence for a few minutes. Gilligan finally spoke, "Are _you_ okay, Ginger? You look like there is something bothering you."

"It's nothing," she said. "Why don't you tell me about your dream?"

"I don't remember most of it," said a sighing Gilligan. "I only remember that she was dying. And I hadn't yet told her how I…" Gilligan stopped before he finished what he wanted to say.

"You haven't yet told her how you feel about her," Ginger finished for him.

Gilligan looked away, fighting his embarrassment. He expected her to start teasing him, but when he glanced back, the concerned expression on her face encouraged him to continue.

"Yeah, I haven't told her, yet."

"Why haven't you," asked Ginger, her chin resting on her folded hands.

Gilligan absently stared at the jungle, "I've been waiting for the…you know. I want this to be special. And…I'm still a little scared."

"I don't think you need to be afraid of Mary Ann. In fact, I think it would make her very happy."

"Yeah, I guess it would."

Gilligan turned in the chair to face Ginger and his expression became grave. "Why would I dream about Mary Ann dying? She's not sick or anything? Is she?"

"No, Gilligan, at least not that I'm aware of," said Ginger, pausing for a moment. "The Professor says that dreams can be tricky stuff. He says we often deal with our fears in our dreams. Sometimes we feel things towards others that, for whatever reason, we chose not to share. Then one day something happens and whatever we were going to say gets left unspoken."

Gilligan thought about the conversation he had with Mary Ann about being rescued. The thought of them being separated had forced him to explore the depth of their friendship and he soon realized his feelings went well beyond friendship. The truth was, he loved her, and he had always loved her.

"Promise me something, Gilligan."

"Sure, Ginger."

"Don't wait, tell her how you feel. You don't want to lose that chance. Do you?"

"Of course not, but it's not like we are in any danger or anything."

Ginger looked away, unwilling to meet his eyes.

"You just never know what tomorrow may bring," she said wistfully. "Good night, Gilligan. Think about what I said, okay?"

"I will. Good night, Ginger."

As Gilligan watched her return to her hut, he found himself unnerved by the sense of urgency in her voice.

_That's it,_ he thought. _I'm going to tell her tomorrow._

_..._

The next morning, after the castaways gathered around the table for breakfast, the Professor rose from his chair.

"If I could have everyone's attention, please," he began. "I have some very grave news."

The conversation around the table abruptly stopped and everyone eyed the Professor. Beside him, Ginger had taken hold of the hand he had placed on her shoulder.

"What's wrong, Professor," asked the Skipper.

"As you all know, I have been tracking the asteroid that Gilligan discovered the day of the lunar landing. While I had some concerns, as to its course, I wasn't sure until last evening. This asteroid is going to hit Earth, sometime between midnight and two in the morning, five days from now. The target area is anywhere between fifty and two hundred fifty miles south of our island."

"If it is going to miss the island, we should be safe, shouldn't we?" asked Mr. Howell.

"I'm afraid not. The object is almost half a mile wide and were it to hit land, it would obliterate an area the size of New Jersey."

"What happens if it lands in the ocean?" asked Mary Ann.

"An object this size will create a massive tsunami, with waves over a thousand feet high. It would obliterate most of the island."

"Can't we just get to high ground?" asked the Skipper. "The volcanic mountain is almost two thousand feet at the summit."

"The tidal wave is only part of the problem. When the asteroid enters the atmosphere, its kinetic energy will create a blast wave that will incinerate anything within five hundred miles of the impact site."

"Oh, good heavens," said Mrs. Howell. "What a ghastly chain of events."

Mary Ann latched onto Gilligan's arm and they both looked at each other, fear evident in both their eyes. _So this is what Ginger meant last night,_ he thought to himself.

"Professor," interjected Gilligan. "What about the cave on the north ledge. It has to be at least twelve hundred feet up and the caverns go deep into the side of the mountain. Wouldn't we be safe in there?"

The Professor thought for a moment.

"Possibly, I would need to know how far in the cavern reaches and if there are any bends in the path."

"I can check it after breakfast," Gilligan replied.

"Good. The rest of us should gather supplies, especially food and water. A tidal wave will contaminate the fresh water supply, so we'll have to store as much water as we can."

As the group set off to handle the tasks at hand, Ginger pulled the Professor aside.

"Tell me the truth, Roy. Is the cave going to be enough to save us?"

"It depends on how close the asteroid is when it hits. I just don't know…" His voice drifted off.

Ginger buried her head in his shoulder, "For better, or for worse, I want to be in your arms when it happens."


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

After breakfast, Gilligan went into the supply hut to retrieve the climbing gear. The last hundred feet to the ledge leading to the cave opening, was a very steep trail and Gilligan knew he would have to figure out a way to get Mary Ann, Ginger and the Howells safely up the cliff wall. Setting the pack down on the table outside, Gilligan made sure he had everything he needed

Just as he was getting ready to leave, he saw Mary Ann come out of the supply hut with the other climbing pack. She had changed out of her gingham dress and into something more suited to climbing; jeans, a tee shirt, and flats.

"I'm coming with you, Gilligan." The tone of her voice indicated that she wasn't taking no for an answer.

"Mary Ann, you know that I enjoy your company," he said, "but this isn't going to be an easy climb. It could be dangerous." The very last thing Gilligan would do is put Mary Ann in harm's way.

"All the more reason for me to come along," she said, refusing to be dissuaded. "The first rule of rock climbing is, never climb alone."

Gilligan looked a bit surprised, "Are you sure that you'll be okay? I mean, it's not like there are many hills or mountains in Kansas, are there?"

"No, silly," she replied, grinning now. "Uncle George used to take us to Colorado Springs on vacation. He and the boys liked to rock climb and I could out climb any of my cousins."

_I'll bet you could,_ he thought.

Mary Ann drew closer to him, "I'll be fine, Gilligan. Besides, if the Professor is right, we may only have a few days left in our lives and I want to spend each and every minute of those days with you, no matter what."

With that, in front of everyone, she placed one arm around his neck and met his lips with a long gentle kiss.

This was the first real public display of affection he and Mary Ann had shared, and much to his surprise, the world dropped away when their lips met. It wasn't until someone cleared their throat, that Gilligan remembered they had an audience. He gently drew back, but held Mary Ann's eyes with his.

"I guess the cat's out of the bag," he said with a grin.

"Yeah, I guess it is," she replied, sheepishly. "Do you think we can handle it?"

"I think so."

This time, the Skipper cleared his throat, "I don't mean to interrupt, Gilligan, but the Professor is going to need those measurements from the cave as soon as possible."

Mary Ann and Gilligan only half heard him as they were still transfixed on each other.

"Sometime today, little buddy," chided the Skipper, once more.

Snapping out of his reverie, Gilligan answered, "Sure, Skipper."

The couple separated and strode towards the jungle, hand in hand.

Once the pair had left, Mrs. Howell exclaimed, "You see, Thurston, I just knew they were meant to be together. We absolutely must plan the most extravagant wedding for them. It will be the social event of the decade."

"Yes, Lovey, I'm sure it will be. But you seem to have forgotten, there is one slight problem we have to overcome."

"Oh, that," said Mrs. Howell, pouting somewhat. "Really Thurston, that asteroid has some nerve, spoiling my social calendar like this."

When Mrs. Howell left to go back to her hut, her husband pulled the Skipper aside.

"Captain," began Mr. Howell, confidentially, "In spite of our situation, if I were you, I would be prepared to be called upon to perform a wedding ceremony."

"Are you serious, Mr. Howell? We don't have time to…"

"My dear Captain," interrupted Howell, "do you really think those caves are going to save us?"

The Skipper was taken back. He hadn't considered that the Professor may have led them into a false sense of security.

"I don't really know, Mr. Howell."

"Trust me, neither does the Professor. The one thing I do know is Mary Ann and Gilligan deserve to live life to its fullest, regardless of how long they have. I would be prepared, just in case they ask."

Mr. Howell returned to his hut leaving the Skipper with new thoughts to ponder.

...

By mid morning, Gilligan was just about to the ledge. After cresting the top, he turned to check on Mary Ann's progress, taking up the slack of her safety line as she ascended the final few yards. When she was a few feet from the top, Gilligan reached out and firmly took her hand as she reached the safety of the ledge.

"That was a difficult climb," she said, stripping off her climbing gear.

"You did okay, though."

"Just okay?" she asked, feigning hurt.

"Very much, okay," corrected Gilligan.

He was rewarded with an Eskimo kiss as she hugged his neck.

"Have you ever been up here?" she asked.

"Once," he said, distantly. "It was about a year and a half ago. This was before the climbing gear washed up so I had to free climb…"

"Gilligan," she interjected, obviously troubled. "What in the world possessed you to try that?"

He didn't respond right away, in fact, he was hoping to avoid this conversation. But he knew that, sooner or later, someone was going to ask. It was just as well that it was Mary Ann.

"People do desperate things when their life depends on it."

"Oh my God!" exclaimed Mary Ann, "Kincaid?"

Gilligan simply nodded. Beside him, Mary Ann buried her head in his shoulder.

"I hate that man, Gilligan. I've never hated anyone in my life before he did what he did."

She lifted her head suddenly, "Why didn't you stay up here? He never would have been able to climb that ridge. You could have waited him out."

He sighed, as he answered, "I led him to the other side of the island and doubled back once he had passed. By the time he had picked up my trail again, I was sitting right here. I could see him coming up the path, even though he couldn't see me. Once he reached the bottom of the cliff, I could hear him speaking."

Gilligan had paled while he was recounting this story to her.

"Gilligan, you're trembling," she said. "If this is too painful…"

"No, I need to talk about it, and you are the only one I feel comfortable talking to about this."

Mary Ann continued to hold him, providing a safe harbor for all his fears.

"Kincaid said that if he couldn't find me within the hour, he was going back to the camp to get someone else to hunt…" Gilligan's voice cracked and he looked away, unable to finish his thought.

"It was going to be me, wasn't it," said Mary Ann.

He simply nodded, still looking out over the jungle. Gently, she wiped a tear from the side of his face.

"I would have come down, anyway," he said. "It wouldn't matter who he was going to hunt. But, out of everyone, you're the one person I don't think I could live without."

"Oh Gilligan," she said, resting her face on his chest. "That man is a monster. I'm glad he is safely locked away."

"Me too."

A few minutes later, he stood with her and they looked over the cave. Lighting a torch, the pair explored the narrow passageway. About thirty feet in, the passage doglegged and opened into a larger cavern.

"This should be big enough for all of us," he said. "And it should be far enough in, I think."

"I hope so, Gilligan. How are we going to get everyone up here?

"We can make a frame that hangs over the cliff. It's only fifty or so feet to the bottom and we can rig a boson's chair to bring up anyone who can't climb. With a block and tackle, you can pick up things that are much heavier than you are. We used them on the ship all the time."

Gilligan took one more look around the cavern.

"Let's go back outside, Mary Ann. I want to see if there is a good place to anchor the frame."

"Aye, aye, sir," she replied, teasing him with a salute.

Outside, Gilligan found several places that could be used as anchor points and he was sure that they would be able to get everyone to safety.

"I'll bet this will even hold the Skipper," he said, grinning from ear to ear.

"Now Gilligan, that's not very nice," chided Mary Ann. "You should be ashamed of yourself. The poor Skipper…" Mary Ann couldn't keep a straight face and she started to giggle.

As he watched her, it dawned on him just how much he enjoyed her laughter, her playfulness, her gentle spirit, her kind disposition, in fact, he loved everything about her. She was standing on the ledge just outside the cave while he was leaning against the cave entrance. He was so entranced by her inner and outer beauty, that he didn't notice the bits of sand that were falling next to him.

"Mary Ann, there is something that I've been wanting to…" He never got a chance to finish his sentence as she interrupted him with her scream.

"GILLIGAN, LOOK OUT!"

By the time he realized what she was shouting about, bits of rock were falling on his head. He looked up just in time to see a large rock falling from above and before he could react, he felt himself being pushed out of the way.

Mary Ann was much stronger than she looked and they both landed several feet inside the cave. Gilligan sat up and glanced at her motionless form.

"Mary Ann?" he said, trying to rouse her. "MARY ANN!"

Quickly he checked to see if she was breathing. A wave of anxiety briefly passed through him until he saw her chest to rise. The rest of what happened would later become a blur, as Gilligan's navy training kicked in.

He knew that she must have taken a blow to the head by one of the rocks, which came loose from above the cave. Knowing that he was going to have to move her, he checked her neck and head for injury. The only thing that he found was a bump on the back of her head. As best as he could tell, her neck had not suffered any trauma.

Gilligan knew that he wouldn't be able to rappel down with her on his back and the only other way to get her down, was to lower her, by rope, down the cliff wall. But he had nothing he could use to extend over the cliff. He knew he was going to need help.

"Gilligan!"

Hearing his name being called, Gilligan dashed to the edge of the cliff. He spotted the Skipper walking up the path.

"Skipper, am I glad to see you! Mary Ann has been hurt! I need help getting her down!"

"Little buddy, what happened? Is she all right?"

"She was knocked out cold by a rock!"

"How in the world did that happen?" asked the Skipper. He was almost to the base of the cliff.

"It's a long story. I'll tell you later. Skipper, I'm going to send down an anchor line. Can you tie it off to a tree or something?"

"Okay, Gilligan, toss it down to me."

Gilligan tied off one end of the heavy line and dropped the rest down the cliff. He watched as the Skipper pulled it taught and secured it to the base of a tree several yards away. The angle was much steeper than he wanted but they had little choice. Next he dug through the pack and unfolded the sleep sack which was designed to be used to sleep or shelter on a cliff face but could be used as a stretcher in an emergency.

"Boy, am I glad this stuff washed up," he said aloud, as he lifted his girlfriend and placed her in the sack. Once he had her unconscious form positioned inside, he zipped the cocoon around her, exposing only her face.

Gilligan attached the halyard to the center ring and he lifted the cocoon to make sure that it supported her evenly. He then carried her to the edge of the cliff and set the cocoon where he could attach the halyard to the pulley. He hooked a tag line to the foot of the bag and yelled to the Skipper.

"I'm tossing down the tag line. Stand clear!"

"Okay, little buddy! I'm ready, go ahead and send it down!"

After dropping the rope, Gilligan connected the last line he had to the head of the bag. He planned to use this to lower her slowly to the bottom of the cliff. He ran the line through a pulley anchored to side of the ledge and measured out a few extra feet. At last, he tied the line to another anchor point with a quick release knot. Setting the pulley to its highest resistance, Gilligan attached it to the heavy line.

"Okay, Skipper. I'm going to set her over the edge. Don't pull until I tell you, okay?"

"All right, Gilligan. Let me know when you are ready to start lowering her, and please, be careful. This line is too steep for my liking."

In their navy days, Gilligan and the Skipper had practiced this procedure many times, but never with such a steep angle on the main line. Gilligan picked up the cocoon, with Mary Ann in it, and gently lowered her down until the slack on the halyard was taken up. He donned his gloves and tested the setup. Satisfied that he could hold her weight, he yelled down to the Skipper.

"Skipper, I'm going to release the knot now, get ready to take up the slack."

"All right, Gilligan, I'm ready down here."

Gilligan took a firm hold on the rope and released the knot. With this setup, the weight of the cocoon would pull him towards the cave and not over the cliff. Slowly and carefully, he let the line out, lowering Mary Ann to safety.

"Almost there, Gilligan!" yelled the Skipper, after what seemed like forever. "You have about fifteen more feet to go."

A few minutes later, the Skipper had Mary Ann safely on the ground. Gilligan grabbed the last pulley and halyard and attached it to his climbing harness. He hooked to the mainline and very quickly descended to where the Skipper was opening the cocoon bag.

"I'm going to carry her back to camp, Skipper."

"Are you sure, little buddy? You did most of the work up top."

"I want to, she's my…" Gilligan paused for a moment, still wrestling with his feelings. Summoning courage that surprised him, he finished his statement.

"She's my girlfriend, Skipper. I should be the one to take care of her." With that, Gilligan lifted her with ease and started down the path.

"I understand, little buddy. You did well, up there, Gilligan. I'm very proud of you."

"Thanks, Skipper," he replied.

Gilligan's thoughts drifted back to the young woman in his arms, _Please wake up, Mary Ann. I don't want to lose you…_


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

"I love you, Mary Ann. I've always loved you. Please wake up. I don't want to lose you"

Gilligan leaned over and kissed her, hoping beyond hope that by some fairy tale miracle, his kiss would awaken her. But she remained deep in the coma, with only the gentle rise and fall of her chest to indicate that she was alive.

Reluctantly, the Professor agreed to sleep in the girl's hut tonight, so that Gilligan could stay at Mary Ann's side. To Ginger's amusement, he insisted on hanging a sheet between the beds, allowing for her privacy.

As Gilligan tried to get comfortable in the chair, the door opened once more. To his surprise, Mrs. Howell stood at the threshold. Remembering his manners, and to show respect for his elders, Gilligan rose to his feet.

"Mrs. Howell?"

"Gilligan, darling, am I disturbing you?"

"Of course not. Please, come in."

Gilligan motioned to the unoccupied chair, which the older lady accepted.

The Howells had taken the unofficial role of surrogate parents to the youngest two castaways, almost immediately after they were all shipwrecked together. And while Gilligan was well aware of the mischievous scheming Mr. Howell would sometimes engage in, he still valued their guidance and advice.

"How are you fairing," she asked, once he had taken his seat.

"Okay, I guess," he replied. "I was sure she would have woken up by now."

"I know, my dear, it's hard for you," answered Mrs. Howell. "But Mary Ann is a very strong and determined young woman. I have to believe she is going to be all right."

"I sure hope so, Mrs. Howell. I don't even want to think about living without her."

The older woman reached into her purse and produced a small box.

"Gilligan, I have something for you," she said. "Actually, it's for you and Mary Ann."

He took the box from her hand and slowly opened it. His eyes flew open wide as he gazed upon the diamond ring and matching wedding bands.

"The stone belonged to my great grandmother," Mrs. Howell continued. "It's much smaller than mine, but, back then gaudy pieces weren't in vogue. I was going to give this to one of my nieces who Thurston and I hardly ever hear from, that is, heard from. I decided quite a while ago, that I wanted you and Mary Ann to have them."

Gilligan looked down at the set in disbelief, "I don't know what to say, Mrs. Howell, except for, thank you. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"You are quite welcome, my dear, and yes, I do. Gilligan, you and Mary Ann are like the children, Thurston and I, never had."

"Mrs. Howell, how did you know about us? I mean, you said quite a while ago. I guess you had this in mind when you tried to match us up a few years ago."

"My dear boy," began Mrs. Howell, in her most loving motherly tone, "in this world, there are people that are simply meant to be together. And when true soul mates meet each other, they radiate an aura that other people can see."

"Really," asked Gilligan, pausing a bit. "What's an aura?"

"It's the glowing of the soul, my dear. I saw it with you and Mary Ann the day you met."

"You could see us glowing?"

"Yes," said Mrs. Howell. "But you don't see the aura with your eyes. You see it with your heart."

Gilligan remembered how he felt the very first time he laid eyes on the petite brunette farm girl, as she boarded the Minnow. He didn't yet know her name, but the instant his eyes met her's, he felt as if he had been struck by a bolt of lightning.

"I think I know what you mean, Mrs. Howell."

Gilligan looked back at the young woman who had stolen his heart. Could it be true that they were meant to be together, that their future had already been decided by forces unseen? He had always had trouble understanding things that were not set in facts, the metaphorical, as the Professor had once called it.

As he pondered this, he noticed Mary Ann's eyelids begin to flutter. He was out of his chair in an instant.

"Quick Mrs. Howell, get the others. I think she is waking up."

As the older woman left to retrieve the group, Gilligan gently took Mary Ann's face in his hands.

"Mary Ann? Please Mary Ann, wake up now."

Slowly her eyes opened and she took in her surroundings. When she briefly smiled, Gilligan wrapped her in a hug.

"Oh, Mary Ann, you're going to be okay. I love you so much."

She returned his embrace, at first, then she pushed him away enough to look at him. Seeing the look of confusion on her face, Gilligan loosened his grip.

"Mary Ann?"

By now, everyone else had gathered in the hut and her response left them all speechless, and very concerned.

"Could you tell me where I am? And who are all of you?"

...

The Professor had ordered everyone out, except for Ginger, so he could ascertain Mary Ann's condition. Gilligan offered very little resistance as he was ushered to the table. He was still in a state of shock, _How could she forget me,_ he thought. The rest of the group was trying to boost his spirits.

"Now, little buddy, I don't want you to worry," said the Skipper. "Amnesia is a common side effect of a head injury. It's usually temporary, and a good night's sleep might be all she needs."

"Good night's sleep? Skipper, she's been sleeping since this morning."

The Professor came out of the supply hut just in time to hear the exchange. Before Gilligan could object, he intervened.

"Gilligan, the Skipper is right. Mary Ann has just awakened from a traumatic event. Remember, the last thing she saw was you in grave danger. The human mind has self defense mechanisms to help it cope with these kinds of things. One of these mechanisms is amnesia."

"But how can a good night sleep help," asked Gilligan.

"Dreams are another vehicle, used by the mind, to help sort out traumatic events and integrate them into the conscious, but, in a coma, the body doesn't enter REM sleep, which is the sleep state where dreams occur. So Mary Ann hasn't yet dealt with what happened. Do you understand what I'm trying to say, Gilligan?"

"I think so," said the young man. "Is she going to be okay?"

"Other than the memory loss, Mary Ann seems to have recovered from the coma. I conducted all the tests I can, and she passed them all with flying colors. By morning, I suspect she will be back to her old self. Now my advice to you, Gilligan, is, try to get a good night's sleep yourself. Okay?"

"I guess so," Gilligan said reluctantly. Slowly, he rose from his chair.

"Come on, little buddy," said the Skipper, placing an ample arm around the young man's shoulders. "Let's go get some sleep. By morning, everything will be back to normal."

The Professor watched the two friends retreat to their hut, soon followed by the Howells. He was ready to turn in himself when Ginger came out into the clearing.

"I managed to get her calmed down," said Ginger. "She's sleeping now."

"That's good," he replied. "I think Gilligan was more upset than she was."

"She asked about him, Roy."

"What did you tell her?"

"That they were very close. She seemed to accept that, for now," said the actress.

"I _do_ think she will fine by morning, Ginger."

"I hope so, Roy. I hope so."

With that, Ginger drew him in for a long good night kiss.


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9:**

The young brunette awoke with the sounds of bird chirping as the sun was cresting the horizon. She sat up in, what was supposed to be, her bed and fought off another bout of vertigo.

Across the room, sitting at the vanity, was the flame headed woman she had met last evening. _I think she said her name was Ginger, Ginger Grant._

"Miss Grant," she said, in a small voice.

"My, aren't we being formal this morning, Mary Ann," Ginger chided, gently. "How do you feel?"

"Dizzy," she replied, putting her hand to her head. "And I still don't remember anything."

Ginger stood from her chair and strode to her friend's bedside. She sat on the edge of the bed.

"Miss Grant, what am I going to do, I don't know anyone here. I don't even know who I am…"

Ginger took the young woman in her arms. "Shhh, it's okay, Mary Ann. I'll help you," she said. "Please, call me Ginger. We've been friends for over four years. I know this is difficult, but, you need to trust me about this."

"Okay, Miss…I mean, Ginger," said Mary Ann. "The others, can you tell me about them again?"

"Of course."

...

Gilligan was on his way to the girls hut when the Professor intercepted him.

"Gilligan, I need to speak to you for a moment…"

"Sure, Professor, right after I check on Mary Ann."

"No, Gilligan. I need to see you right now."

The Professor led him away from the huts so they could speak privately. He turned to Gilligan and placed a supportive hand on his shoulder.

"Ginger and Mary Ann have been up for some time, and judging from what I overheard, Mary Ann still doesn't remember any of us, or, for that matter, even who she is."

The life seemed to drop out of Gilligan's eyes as he lowered his head.

"I thought this was temporary."

"It still may be," said the Professor. "But for now, we all have to be very careful not to overwhelm her. Gilligan, as the person closest to Mary Ann, this is going to be hardest on you. But you may be the best chance she has in recovering her memories. For her sake, you have to remain strong. Do you think you can do that?"

Gilligan knew that he would move Heaven and Earth for her, if he could. Drawing on some inner strength he didn't know he had, he faced the Professor.

"Tell me what I have to do."

...

Inside her hut, Mary Ann gazed out the window as the group gathered for breakfast. Looking at the young man, who Ginger had called Gilligan, she could see a solemn, almost heartbroken expression, and for some reason this caused her own heart to ache. Beside the unexplained moment of excitement she felt last night, this was the only connection she felt to the others.

Ginger had told her that she and this young man were very close, but Mary Ann knew this to be an understatement. _I love you so much,_ he had said. This implied much more than friendship and inside, she found herself reciprocating his expression of love. Love, just thinking about this, caused her heart to do a series of back flips.

_How can I still feel this way about a man I don't remember, even if he is cute?_

She pulled herself from the window and tried to calm her mind.

Being told that the men were leaving soon after breakfast to tackle an important project, she had decided to wait until later to eat. That would leave just Ginger and Mrs. Howell and she would feel less intimidated by a smaller group.

Still, she found herself wanting to speak with Mr. Gilligan. _What did Ginger say his first name was, William?_

A few minutes later, she found herself back at the window waiting for a chance to speak with him alone. When she saw him walk by, as he was heading for the supply hut, she quickly went to the door.

Gilligan looked up and froze in his tracks. For a moment they stood there in silence.

"Mr. Gilligan?" she said, forcing herself to find her voice. "May I speak to you for a moment?"

"Sure, Mary Ann," he replied. His face had brightened considerably as she invited him in with a gesture.

"Miss Grant tells me that I have you to thank for getting me off the cliff."

"Gee, Mary Ann," said the fidgeting young man. "It wasn't that big of a deal. Besides, you saved my life."

"Yes, she told me that, although I still don't remember any of it."

"I didn't get a chance to say thank you," he continued. "You didn't wake up until late last night."

Mary Ann fiddled with her hair and paced the room as she worked up the courage to ask him about their relationship.

"Ginger also told me that, you and I are…well…very close."

Remembering his conversation with the Professor, Gilligan chose his words carefully.

"We are close, Mary Ann, we've known each other for a long time."

Mary Ann had stopped pacing the room and found herself standing very close to Gilligan.

"Last night, when I awoke, you were holding me in your arms. It was familiar, somehow. So far, this is the only thing that is."

While she was talking, she had closed the distance between them and was resting her hands on his shoulders and looking up at him.

"I was um…glad to see that you were okay," he quietly said.

"Would you hold me again?" she asked.

Gilligan simply nodded. As he slipped his arms around her she reached around his neck, resting her head on his chest. She could feel herself trembling at first, not from fear which seemed to be rapidly subsiding, but from anticipation. She held him tighter and he responded in kind.

For the first time since she awoke, Mary Ann felt safe, and she stayed in his arms for a while, not saying anything.

_This is so familiar,_ she thought.

"Mr. Gilligan, your first name is William, right?"

"Yeah, only nobody ever calls me that, well, except for my mother."

"Do you mind if I call you William?"

"No, Mary Ann, I don't mind."

She pulled back just enough so she could see his face and Mary Ann found herself getting lost in his eyes. Their lips were only inches apart now and slowly they drew together into a tender kiss.

"Are you okay," he asked when their lips parted.

"Yeah, I think so."

"I don't want to pressure you, Mary Ann."

"Oh, William, you're not," she replied, in a tiny voice. "I'm still trying to sort this out too. Just give me some time, and be there when I need you, okay?"

"I'll always be here for you, always."

As Gilligan turned to leave, Mary Ann held fast to his hand with hers, their arms extending as they separated.

"Be careful, William," she said, releasing his hand.

...

After the men had left the camp, Mary Ann sat at the table finishing her breakfast. _I may have lost my memory, but there is nothing wrong with my appetite,_ she thought. Of course, she hadn't eaten anything since the day before.

Ginger had taken the time to show her where all of her personal items were, including her diary.

"I keep one too," Ginger had said. "We hide them in the bottom of our night stands to keep them from prying eyes. I figure, if you read about some of our adventures, it might jog some memories for you."

She started reading at the very beginning, which just happened to correspond with the day she boarded the Minnow.

_September 25, 1964:_

_An island cruise, how exciting! Almost as exciting as meeting the cutest sailor that I have ever seen in my life. Okay, so I haven't really seen many sailors before now, but there is just something about him that causes my heart to flutter. And those eyes, I just melt every time he sends them my way, which he has been doing since we set sail. Oh, what I wouldn't give to be shipwrecked on an island alone with him. This is the last cruise of the day and maybe he'll ask me out once we get back to port._

Mary Ann closed the book, careful to save her place, and pondered all she had written, and how the passage mirrored her feelings now. Her diary entry hadn't jogged any memories, but it did shed some light as to why she would take to a total stranger so quickly.

She opened the book again and continued to read.


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10:**

The work at the cliff went slower than they had anticipated. The Professor and Gilligan had ascended the path, leaving Mr. Howell to help the Skipper procure and send up the material needed for the chair frame.

While they waited for the two older men to gather the supplies, Gilligan gave the Professor a tour of the cave and ledge area.

"I must say, Gilligan, this could work out quite nicely. When did you find this place?"

"About a year or so ago," replied the first mate. He was hoping that the Professor would not press him any further on the subject. "I think we should tell Mary Ann about the asteroid."

"In her current state of mind, telling her could cause irreparable harm. I wouldn't tell her until it is absolutely necessary."

Gilligan didn't agree at all. He believed that Mary Ann was much stronger than she was given credit for, but he kept his opinion to himself. As they were walking back out to the ledge, the Professor redirected the subject again.

"Gilligan, I know this might seem to be getting personal, but, for Mary Ann's sake, I need to ask. How did your conversation with her go this morning?"

"I think she still remembers me, she said, hugging me was the only thing that felt familiar. Maybe it's because we are soul mates."

"Soul mates?" asked the Professor raising an eyebrow.

"Mrs. Howell says that some people are meant to be together and when they meet, they give off an aura. She said, Mary Ann and I are soul mates and she saw our aura the day we met."

"Well, Gilligan, that is more a matter of faith, than of scientific fact. It can neither be proven or disproven."

Gilligan was taken back a bit, almost like a child would react if they were told that there was no Santa Claus.

"Then you don't believe in it, Professor?"

"What I believe in doesn't matter," said the Professor in a fatherly tone. "The real question is; what do you believe?"

The Professor paused a moment before continuing, "Gilligan, about Mary Ann, I'm very glad that you have managed to reconnect with her, but I must caution you. If her memory doesn't return soon, she is going to go through some difficult times. She may withdraw, she could slip into depression, or, she may display anger, and some of that anger may seem like it is directed at you. It isn't, and you have to be ready to face it."

"I think I understand, Professor," said Gilligan. "Mary Ann asked me to be there when she needed me."

"Good, that means she trusts you. You need to show her unconditional love and support, no matter what she may say or do."

Gilligan was silent for a while, as he weighed all the possibilities. There was one question that was burning in his mind and he was almost afraid to ask.

"Professor, is there a chance that she'll never get her memories back?"

"Irreversible amnesia is very rare, most of the time a patient will remember bits and pieces until they eventually remember everything. That could happen within a few days, a week, or sometimes longer. Sometimes the memories come back all at once, and the person picks up right where they left off, although the longer this condition lasts, the less likely that is to happen. The time in between is often lost and that is one reason why you need to be careful."

"I don't know what you mean."

"Let's say, the two of you do something together tonight, it could be anything, a walk on the beach for instance. Then, tomorrow, her memories return. Anything that happened between Mary Ann first waking up and the time she regains her memories can be lost. If that were to happen, she wouldn't remember the two of you walking on the beach."

"So if we were to…oh, I think I get it."

A voice down the cliff caught their attention.

"It looks like Mr. Howell and the Skipper are back. We'll talk about this later, Gilligan.

The rest of the day was taken up by the two men building and tying off the frame. It would be late in the day before they returned to camp.

...

Mary Ann spent most of the day reading her diary. Through her own writing, she had discovered quite a bit of insight as to her companions, but she had focused her study on the one person that really mattered to her, William Gilligan.

Most of her journal was dedicated to her thoughts and feelings concerning the Minnow's hapless first mate. Her relationship with the young man had taken several twists and turns before it had finally blossomed into a full blown romance. One of her entries seemed to hold the key as to why things changed between them, and why it didn't happen sooner.

_October 29, 1968:_

_Well that was it. I had it with the way everyone was treating him, giving him the silent treatment for something that really wasn't his fault. Gilligan left the camp late that night and never came back. So the next morning, I gave everyone a piece of my mind. I started out yelling, but, by the time I was finished I was in tears. I couldn't help it. Seeing Gilligan shunned by everyone really hurt._

_When I had spoken my mind, I ran off into the jungle. I was sure they wouldn't catch me; I'm the only one on the island who can even come close to keeping up with Gilligan. A while later, I found him where I knew he would be. The cave he uses as a hideout when he needs to be alone. I felt so special the day he showed it to me._

_That day, Gilligan and I had a very long talk, about a lot of things. Gilligan doesn't have any confidence in himself and it's no wonder that he is always making mistakes. I'd probably feel the same way if I knew I was going to be wacked with a hat every five minutes. Don't get me wrong, I truly love the Skipper and the others, they are all family to me. But poor Gilligan needs nurturing and patience, not ridicule and scorn._

_Persuading him to come home was harder than I thought it would be as Gilligan can be quite stubborn when he makes up his mind. I hadn't planned on staying the night, but I couldn't very well leave him either. I thought he might relent for my sake, but he was still too upset. So, that night, we cuddled together in the cave, if you could call it that, we were fully dressed. Nestled like spoons with his arm draped around me, Swoon!_

_Sometime that night, I realized just how much he was attracted to me, but Gilligan was ever the gentleman and shifted so it wasn't…uh…obvious. Not for the first time, I found myself wishing that things were different._

_The next morning we returned to the camp and were greeted by five very anxious and apologetic people. Later that day, each one of them pulled me aside and promised never to be so hard on Gilligan again. It has been over a week and, so far, everyone seems to be keeping their promise and Gilligan seems to be more at ease and much less accident prone than in the past. I'm so proud of him. I only wish I had done this sooner._

_Today, he asked me to take a moonlight walk on the beach with him. I'm so excited that I can't get my feet to touch the ground. Who knows, he might even kiss me!_

Mary Ann found herself blushing, even though reading the diary was like reading about someone else. The only aspect that made this real to her was how she still felt about William.

One later entry had said, _our kissing in the lagoon this afternoon became so intense and passionate that I was sure we were at the point of no return. I honestly don't remember which one of us stopped it or whether we stopped it together. I know this much, if he had told me that he loved me, we both would have returned to camp missing something._

That passage had been written only a few days ago. It was very clear to her that she and William were standing at a moment of transition in their relationship, and it was something that she, at least according to her diary, wanted. The prospect both terrified and excited her.


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11:**

Mary Ann joined the group for dinner that evening, feeling much more comfortable after spending the day with Ginger and Mrs. Howell. Besides, she found that she had missed William, terribly. It was evident to her that the four men were exhausted beyond measure but she still was hoping that William would spend just a little bit of time with her before he turned in. She knew that they were working on something very important, but she hadn't had an opportunity to really question anyone, until now.

"So," she began, finding a break in the conversation, "what exactly is it that you have all been working on?"

Gilligan opened his mouth to speak, but closed it after he saw a warning look from the Professor. It was the Skipper who answered her question.

"We decided last week that we needed to build an emergency shelter, Mary Ann. You know, a place to go, in case there is a tsunami or a hurricane."

"I read most of my diary entries today and I learned that we've been on this island over four and a half years. In all of that time we've never needed something this elaborate to survive. Why build it now?"

The Professor interjected, "The island is in a portion of the Pacific Ocean that is prone to tropical storms and hurricanes. I'm sure most of us remember the storm that hit last year. The other factor to consider is the Pacific basin is ringed with seismic activity. A major earthquake along that ring could create a tsunami, or tidal wave. A large enough wave could inundate most of the island's land mass."

Mary Ann shrugged, "Well, I guess it can't hurt to be safe. As hard as you are all working on this, you would think that we are all in grave danger."

"Nonsense, Mary Ann," said Mr. Howell. "We are as safe as the gold in Fort Knox! This little project is just a precautionary measure."

Mary Ann looked up at Gilligan. Placing her hand on his shoulder, she said, "As long as you're sure."

Gilligan nodded, but didn't say anything, even though his inner voice was telling him to speak up.

After the girls cleared the table, Gilligan spoke quietly to the Professor, "Are you sure that we shouldn't tell her?"

"Gilligan, trust me. Mary Ann has enough to contend with at the moment. Telling her that we are all in grave danger could cause her mind to fold in on itself. If this had happened a few weeks ago, I wouldn't hesitate to tell her, but not this close to her waking. It's been less than twenty four hours."

"I don't know, Professor, something just doesn't feel right about this. I still think we should tell her…"

"Tell me what?"

Mary Ann had returned to the table in time to hear the end of Gilligan's statement. She looked straight at Gilligan.

"Tell me what, William?" she asked.

"He meant…"

"Excuse me, Professor Hinkley," she interjected. The tone of her voice was noticeably sharper. "I was asking Mr. Gilligan."

Gilligan paused only for a moment before he answered, "I wanted to tell you that we might need your help at the site, tomorrow, that is, if you are okay and all."

Mary Ann's face broke into a wide grin, "I'd love to, William. I missed you while you were away."

She gave him a quick kiss and waltzed away, humming to herself. When they were alone again, the Professor said, "Gilligan, she is in no condition to climb that rock face."

"Why not?" asked Gilligan, holding his ground, this time. "She can climb better than you. Would you rather me go back and tell her the truth?"

Seeing the look on Gilligan's face, the Professor had the good grace to remain quiet.

"I've never lied to her, Gilligan added. "Never, ever, until tonight, and you know something? I don't like it. I don't like it at all."

Without another word, Gilligan retreated to his hut.

"I don't think I've ever seen that boy so impassioned," commented Mr. Howell, having witnessed the entire exchange. "I suspect Gilligan is no longer the naïve youngster who washed ashore with us. I daresay he is becoming a man."

...

It was getting dark by the time Mary Ann and Ginger finished with the dishes. Wanting to spend time with William, Mary Ann went over to the table where the Skipper was listening to the radio.

"Captain Grumby, have you seen William?"

"William? Oh, you mean Gilligan," he replied. "Forgive me, Mary Ann, I'm still not used to him being called by his given name. He went in our hut to take a nap. I can wake him if you want?"

Mary Ann pouted, she really wanted to spend some time with him, but she knew he was exhausted from the day's work and she didn't want to disturb his sleep.

"No, that's okay," she said, the disappointment evident in her voice. "I'll see him in the morning. Thank you, Captain."

The music on the radio stopped and was replaced by the alert tone of the emergency broadcast system. The message jarred Mary Ann's memory and she remembered its significance, "Quick Captain, turn that up."

_"We interrupt this program. This is a national emergency. The President of the United States or his designated representative will appear shortly over the Emergency Broadcast System."_

"Oh my God!" exclaimed Mary Ann. "Everyone, come here! Quick!"

As the group gathered around the table, she reached to the radio and turned it up so everyone could hear the announcement.

Gilligan was the last to join them and Mary Ann took his arm as he strode up beside her.

"What is it, Mary Ann," asked Gilligan, still wiping sleep out of his eyes.

"Shhh! Just listen."

_Ladies and Gentlemen, the President of the United States._

_My fellow Americans, for the past several weeks, tracking stations and astronomical observatories have been tracking a newly discovered asteroid, an asteroid which is located in a highly eccentric orbit. A few hours ago, it was determined that this object is on a collision course with our planet. The object is not, I repeat, is not considered to be a planet killer, and it has been determined that it will land in the Pacific Ocean, about two hundred miles, south of the Hawaiian Islands. The impact will occur at approximately twelve thirty, Saturday morning, Hawaiian Standard Time, or four and a half days from now. While the target area is not in a major population center, the tidal waves generated by the impact will threaten many of the major cities, on the Hawaiian chain and the west coast._

_Civil Defense authorities in Hawaii, Alaska, the west coast, and all U.S. possessions in the Pacific are currently evacuating citizens from the low lying areas. Emergency shelters are being set up inland and I urge all Americans, who are in the affected areas, to cooperate with Civil Defense authorities orchestrating the evacuations. If you live outside the affected area, please stay away, so that emergency crews can better perform their duties. The National Guard has been called up to assist with the evacuations, maintain order, and prevent looting in the affected areas._

_This is a very dark day for our country. I pray for all of those in the affected areas, and for all of those who will be in harm's way while they perform their duties._

Mary Ann looked first at the Professor, then, at everyone else, "You knew about this." Continuing to look around she added, "You all knew! Why didn't you tell me we were in danger! I don't believe this!"

"Mary Ann, please," began Hinkley. "I was afraid that…"

"Save it, Professor Hinkley. I don't want to hear any excuses, from any of you."

She suddenly turned on Gilligan, "And you! I trusted you, William. How could you? How could you tell me that you love me and not tell me the truth?"

Mary Ann reached up and slapped him, hard, and then she stormed off into the jungle.

Gilligan stood there for a moment, feeling a mixture of hurt, sorrow, shame, and anger, anger with himself.

"Gilligan, little buddy, it's not your fault…" began the Skipper.

In an uncharacteristic display of irritation, Gilligan spun around, cutting him off.

"It is my fault! I should have told her the truth!"

Gilligan pushed his way through the group and stalked towards the path where Mary Ann had disappeared.

"Gilligan, where are you going?" asked the Professor.

"Where do you think? I'm going to find my girlfriend." He quickly disappeared into the jungle.

...

When the group had dispersed, Ginger approached the sullen Professor, who was still at the table.

"Roy?"

"Oh, hi Ginger," he replied. "Please, sit."

They were both silent for a few minutes. Ginger knew that he would speak when he was ready.

"I thought I was doing the right thing," he began. "There have been documented cases of amnesia patients suffering further harm by being exposed to emotional stress."

"It was a judgment call, Roy. You did what you thought was right. Besides, didn't you tell Gilligan that she might experience periods of anger?"

"You're right, I did. But maybe I should have listened to him and considered his point of view. Gilligan has always had a unique perspective, and sometimes he sees things that the rest of us miss. Let's face it, he knows Mary Ann better than any of us, except for maybe you."

"Poor Gilligan, slapped by a woman scorned. It's something that Mary Ann would normally never do, no matter how mad she was at him. I hope he can handle her in her present state."

...

Gilligan searched most of the local paths, but Mary Ann was nowhere to be found. He wasn't sure if she remembered her way around and the thought of her getting lost in the jungle at night, didn't sit well with him.

He decided to check his secret hideaway, a place he had shown only to Mary Ann. As he approached the small opening, he heard sobbing coming from inside. Gilligan doused his torch and peeked inside. Sure enough, the petite brunette farm girl was sitting in the corner with her head hung between her knees. Steeling himself for another bout of her wrath, Gilligan dropped to his knees and crawled into the cave.


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12:**

She didn't notice him as he quietly slipped into the cave and sat across from her. For a few moments, he simply gazed at her, something he never grew tired of.

"Mary Ann?"

When her head shot up, he could see her eyes were still drenched in tears and seeing her in this state was breaking his heart.

"How…how did you find me?" she asked. Her voice was meek rather than full of anger and Gilligan allowed himself to relax a bit.

"When I couldn't find you on any of the nearby paths, I figured you must have come here. I didn't know if you would remember this place. How did you know where it was?"

"I don't know…I…I just wanted to go somewhere I wouldn't be found and I ended up here. What is this place?"

"This is our secret place. It's where we can come to be alone. No one knows about it except you and me. It used to be my hideout, you don't remember, but I invited you to see it a while ago."

Mary Ann fell silent again. As far as he could tell, she had stopped crying and she didn't ask him to leave, which he took as a good sign.

"Why did you lie to me, William?" she asked. Her voice held no anger, but was filled with disappointment and sadness. _Be brave, Gilligan, remember, she needs you to be strong for her._

"The Professor was worried that if we told you that we were all in danger, it would cause irr…irr…irrep," Not remembering the words used by the island's resident genius, he rephrased. "He was afraid it would hurt you."

"And you?"

"I've never lied to you before, Mary Ann, ever. I didn't like doing it now, but, I didn't want to see you get hurt. I'm sorry."

Mary Ann stared at the candle across the cave. She seemed to be considering this and when she looked back at him, he recognized the look on her face. It was the look he would get from her, after he had eaten her pies when he wasn't supposed to, or after her had knocked over the clean laundry. She was forgiving him, just like she always did. It was one of the reasons he loved her as much as he did.

"I guess I made a real fool out of myself," she said, sobbing again. "William, I'm so scared…I feel like I'm walking a tightrope…and…if I make the wrong move…I'll fall…and no one will catch me…" Mary Ann broke into another earnest round of tears.

Gilligan was beside her before he realized it. Taking her in his arms, he stroked her hair while she cried her heart out.

"It's okay to be scared," he said, as he continued to comfort her.

Softly he added, "I'll always be here to catch you, Mary Ann, always."

She gazed up at him and held his eyes with hers. Soon she lifted her hand to the cheek she had slapped in anger and gently caressed it. Closing her eyes, she kissed his cheek, tenderly, her lips brushing his skin as she covered the side of his face with kisses.

When she looked at him again she noticed a tear dripping down the side his face. She carefully wiped it away with her finger.

"I'm so sorry, William. I've never done anything like this to you before, have I?"

"No," he chuckled a little. "Boy, can you hit real hard."

She reached up and kissed his cheek again.

"Better?"

"Yeah," he said, "much better."

Although her eyes were still moist from crying, Gilligan could see the she was wearing a quirky grin, something she only did when she was feeling mischievous.

"What?" he asked.

"You said no one else knows about this place, right?"

"Only you and me," he replied.

"Good," she said, as she pulled him in for a long kiss.

At first, the kiss was soft and gentle, but as the kiss deepened it became more intense, their breathing became heavier and they both started caressing and exploring each other. Before Gilligan knew it, Mary Ann had coaxed his shirt off, and he was well on his way to unfastening her dress.

_Whoa, Gilligan! You're going way too fast here!_

He knew that if he didn't put the brakes on, right now, they weren't going to stop until it was too late. Gathering every bit of self control he had left, he ever so gently gathered her hands into his and held on. He pulled away just enough to look at her.

"What's a matter, William? Don't you want me?"

The look on her face, a doe eyed expression, almost caused him to relent, but he knew he had to remain strong if he was going to keep his promise. He remembered the day, just a few weeks ago when Mrs. Howell had pulled him aside before one of his nightly walks on the beach.

"_Now Gilligan, I want you to promise me that you will do everything in your power to protect that young lady's virtue. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"_

"_I think so…no, Mrs. Howell, not really."_

"_My dear Gilligan, when two people fall in love for the first time, the experience can be overwhelming and the two of you might find it difficult to control yourselves. As a gentleman, it is your responsibility to see to it that things don't go too far. Aside from a harmless high school crush, I am quite certain that neither of you have been in a serious relationship before now."_

_Mrs. Howell was watching him closely, trying to ascertain whether he understood._

"_When two people make love for the first time, it is, by far the most beautiful and wondrous experience that a man and a woman can share together. It is an experience that, by all rights, should be saved for your wedding night."_

"_Oh, I think I know what you are trying say, Mrs. Howell. The Skipper already talked to me about this. Besides, I would never take advantage of Mary Ann…"_

_Mrs. Howell was right,_ thought Gilligan. _This is difficult. How do I tell Mary Ann we can't without hurting her feelings?_ The only way he knew, was to tell her the truth.

"I do, Mary Ann, now, more than ever. But I am a gentleman and I won't try to take advantage of you, it wouldn't be fair."

"But William, I…I love you," she was almost pleading.

"And I love you too, Mary Ann. I always have. But I want our first time to be very special, you know, like, on our wedding night."

"Wedding night?" asked Mary Ann. It was clear to Gilligan that she was surprised. "You've been thinking about that?"

"For a long time now," he replied.

"I guess you're right, William," she said, sighing.

Gilligan watched her as she gazed back at the candle on the other side of the cave. She seemed to be lost in thought.

"I'm very flattered," she finally said. "I guess I didn't know that you felt comfortable with the idea of marriage…"

Mary Ann put her hand to her head, "Wedding…I remember a wedding…I think it was us!"

"You remember! Are you sure it's not from your diary?" asked Gilligan. He was very excited now.

"No, this is an image in my mind. Wait a second…you and I were standing in for the Howells, some kind of rehearsal I think, and…after the Captain had pronounced us husband and wife… rather than kiss me, you jumped off the raft."

"I was still shy about us back then," said Gilligan. "Now, I wish…I wish that I hadn't done that."

Mary Ann sat in silence for a moment appearing to be in deep thought.

"Can you remember anything else?"

"No, it's still a jumble," she replied. "I can only see bits and pieces, but I guess it's a start, right?" she asked perking up.

"It is!"

"William, were you serious about taking me with you to the work site?"

"Yes, Mary Ann, I was," Gilligan paused to look at his watch, "It's getting late. If you really want to come tomorrow you'll need your sleep. We should get back to camp."

"Okay, William," she said, pausing a moment. "I still need to apologize to everyone tomorrow. Especially Professor Hinkley, I was so cruel to him, and to you."

While she gathered herself together, Gilligan pulled his shirt back on. Although part of him was wishing that they had continued, he knew he had made the right decision. Mary Ann affirmed this when she said, "Thank you, William, thank you for being a gentleman. I hope you will forgive me for slapping you."

She placed her arms around his neck and took his lips in a gentle kiss. When their lips parted, she asked, in a faux southern accent, "Mr. Gilligan, would you be so kind as to walk me home?"

"I would be honored, Miss Summers," he replied, doing his best to mimic her. They laughed all the way back to camp.

...

After another prolonged kiss with William, Mary Ann waltzed into her hut. Given the hour, she was surprised to find Ginger still waiting up for her.

"Are you okay," asked the flame headed actress.

"Yeah, Ginger, I think so. I'm so sorry for being so mean to everyone. You have all been so kind and supportive and I should have known that Professor Hinkley only had my best interests at heart."

"Don't worry, Mary Ann, all was forgiven before you even left the camp."

Ginger pulled down her sheets to climb into her bed. "I don't think I would have handled this nearly as graceful as you have," she added.

Mary Ann strode to her drawer, grabbed her nightshirt and quickly changed.

"I still need to apologize to everyone."

"Tomorrow is another day. How are things with you and William, better?"

"Definitely better," she replied, her eyes lighting up. "He's still taking me with him tomorrow. Ginger, I have to be the luckiest girl in the world to have met such a wonderful man."


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13:**

When Mary Ann woke up the next morning, she didn't feel the spell of vertigo which had passed over her the previous day. Bits and pieces of her memory seemed to be returning to her, unrelated images, mostly, and slew of emotions. As she looked around the hut she shared with Ginger, she knew she belonged here, that Ginger had been her friend soon after they became shipwrecked. Her diary had said that these people were family to her and this morning she felt a genuine attachment to the others.

_And William, sweet gentle William, such a gentleman_, she thought. _Last night we came so close to…_ The thought of what almost happened, and the sensations which she was left with, even now, made Mary Ann blush madly. Somehow she knew that most men simply would have gone ahead and taken her, for their own pleasure. But William was so mindful of her feelings and her innocence that he gently persuaded her to consider her actions. She relented, but inside, her desire for his affection had only increased to the nth degree. _It's only a matter of time…_

She knew that this was difficult for him as well, especially after reading about their impassioned encounter in the lagoon. Having seen firsthand, the pure animal attraction that occurred during mating season on the farm…

Mary Ann felt another round of dizziness as images of a farm, somewhere in the Midwest, filled her mind. _Ginger said that I was raised on a farm._ The spell quickly passed and she sat up in bed. She heard rustling outside and she knew William would be getting the fire ready to cook breakfast. Quickly, she jumped out of bed and slipped into the clothes she had laid out for the day. _Mary Ann, it's high time you start pulling your weight,_ she thought.

She met William at the makeshift cook stove they used to prepare meals. "Good morning, my southern gentleman," she said to him, just as she wound her arms around his neck to kiss him. At this moment, she sensed that she was closer to him than she ever had been before.

"Hey, Mary Ann, how are you feeling?"

She grinned up at him in a way that she was sure she often did, "Gather up the fixings for me, William. I'm making pancakes."

...

After breakfast, while Gilligan was getting the climbing gear ready, Mary Ann pulled the Professor aside.

"I just wanted to apologize for my behavior last evening, Professor. All of you have been so supportive and helpful since my accident and I should have known that you were just looking out for my well being."

"That's quite all right, Mary Ann," he replied. "Perhaps I was wrong as well. Gilligan said that you were much stronger than we gave you credit for, and this time, I think he was right."

Mary Ann looked over at William and smiled, "From my diary, I know that his opinions haven't always been held in such high esteem."

"Sadly, that is true," replied the Professor. "Gilligan, at times, could be a walking disaster, even though he has always meant well. But, because of your support and belief in him, he has come into his own, and I find that he does indeed possess a certain level of gifted insight that we have often overlooked."

"William is the most wonderful man in the world," she said, in a voice full of adoration.

"How are you doing, Mary Ann? Have you remembered anything else?"

"Well, this morning I woke up with the sense that I belong here, and I remember being very close to everyone, although it's just a feeling. I still don't remember any details, just bits and pieces, images that I can't quite put together," she said, pausing before she added, "I do remember the farm."

"Really, do you remember your family?"

"No just some images from the farm, the animals and such." She had no intention of telling him exactly what she saw them doing, although she might be tempted to share this with William later.

"Professor, last night I hurt the two people that are very close to me, William, and you. I'm very sorry for that."

"Mary Ann, don't give it another thought. It was a perfectly normal reaction, considering your condition."

With her arms resting on his chest, she reached up and kissed him on the cheek, "Thank you for being so kind."

Unbeknownst to her, Gilligan had witnessed the exchange.

...

All seven members of the group had a part in the day's plans to prepare their shelter. With the work completed on the frame for the boson's chair, Gilligan, with Mary Ann's help, secured the block and tackle assembly up top, while the three men below completed assembly of the chair and connected the rigging below.

At the campsite, Ginger and Mrs. Howell gathered supplies that the group would need. Once the men had finished the task of providing a safe way for everyone to ascend the cliff face, they would begin bringing up the necessities.

By mid morning, they were ready to test the chair rig. Being by far, the heaviest of the group, as well as being responsible for the safety of all concerned, the Skipper volunteered to be the first to test the setup. "If this setup will hold me, it will hold anyone," quipped the Skipper. Mr. Howell and the Professor exchanged a private look of amusement, knowing how sensitive the Skipper was about his weight.

The Professor had designed a pulley system, which kept the chair from swinging into the cliff face and endangering the passengers. If he hadn't been pressed for time, he could have added a counter weight system that would have allowed the occupant to hoist themselves up. The block and tackle rig required a bit more upper body strength, but the Professor was able to haul the Skipper up with relative ease.

At the top, the men had fashioned a platform, complete with railings, allowing safe egress from the chair to the safety of the ledge.

After inspecting the work at the top, the Skipper turned to his first mate.

"Nice work, little buddy. I'm very impressed.

"It was the Professor's idea," Gilligan replied, half heartedly. "Let me put these away." He picked up the items that had been sent up with the Skipper and headed for the cave.

As Gilligan entered the cave, the Skipper asked, "What's wrong with him, Mary Ann?"

"I don't know Captain," she replied. "He was fine at breakfast, but he has been brooding since we left camp. We've been so busy up here that I haven't had a chance to talk with him, yet."

"Would you like me to speak to him, Mary Ann?"

"No, I think I should talk to him. He's probably worried about what's coming. I'm sure it's nothing more than that."

"I think we are all concerned about what's coming," replied the Skipper.

As he turned to climb back into the boson's chair, Mary Ann spoke again.

"Captain, do you think we will be okay up here?"

"You heard the Professor. It depends on how close the asteroid is when it hits. I think we are safer up here, but, will it be enough protection? I just don't know?"

Mary Ann could see that the big man was genuinely worried about the safety of the group. All their lives were his responsibility and she felt a new sense of respect and affection, for him surge from within her.

"Thanks…Skipper."

The big man gave her a quick salute before he called down below, "Lower away!"

...

Gilligan knew he shouldn't be feeling the things he was feeling, _after all, Mary Ann loves me. She told me so._ But another voice in his head replied, _but so did Laura._

Before the day she stood up to the others, Gilligan refused to allow himself to think about the two of them ever being a couple. He did everything he could to perpetuate the misconception that he knew nothing about girls. In fact, he went out of his way to make everyone think that he wanted nothing to do with girls.

But try as he may, his love for Mary Ann always seemed to shine through the façade that he tried so hard to maintain. Whenever the Howell's would have their endless social gatherings, Gilligan would always approach her, hat in hand, to ask her for the last dance of the evening. When Gilligan wanted company for one of his endless island adventures, it was Mary Ann he asked. When he wanted to go swimming, there was only one person on the island whom he wanted to be with; Mary Ann.

Gilligan knew his competition for Mary Ann's affections was limited to one other person. The Skipper knew even before they sailed that Gilligan was quite smitten with the Kansas farm girl, and he would never have tried to come between them. Add to that, the twenty plus year age difference between the pair, he was old enough to be her father.

The Professor, however, was another matter. The man was brilliant, his vocabulary consisted of words that Gilligan could hardly pronounce, much less understand the meaning. Anytime they were all in trouble, it was often the Professor who thought of a way to get them out of it. And he was practical, just like Mary Ann. _Maybe that's why they get along so well,_ he thought.

About a year after they were shipwrecked, the subject of a beauty contest was brought up while they were finishing dinner. Naturally, Mr. Howell said that Mrs. Howell would win hands down. The Skipper, who had always had an eye for the movie star, picked Ginger. This left Gilligan in a dilemma, his heart so wanted to stand up for Mary Ann, but he knew that if he did, the rest of the group would know for certain that he held feelings for the petite brunette.

Before Gilligan could speak, the Professor stood up for Mary Ann. And while, he was happy to see that someone else shared his opinion, he found himself face to face with an emotion he had never experienced before. Gilligan was jealous, and to compound the problem, he had to pick between three of his friends.

Yes, Gilligan was jealous, and he didn't like the feeling at all. This morning, when he saw Mary Ann kiss the Professor, he recognized it for what it was. _But Mary Ann has kissed the Professor many times before, why do I feel this way now?_ He wracked his brain for an answer, _what is different?_ The little voice in his head replied, _she's your girlfriend now._

The answer hit Gilligan like a sledge hammer. In high school, and in the Navy, he had seen guys fight over women and sometimes the results were not pleasant. When Laura had left him for another man, it had been done by a letter and Gilligan had never met him. _What would I have done if I had met him?_ In the end, Gilligan decided that it was Laura who had made her decision and by doing so, betrayed his trust. Mary Ann had never given him any reason not to trust her, _but neither had Laura,_ his inner voice said again.

"William?"

He was so absorbed that he hadn't heard her approach.

"Oh, Mary Ann," he replied. "You startled me."

"You seem lost in thought, are you okay?"

Gilligan gazed into her eyes, and even though she had lost most of her memories, the adoration in her eyes was readily visible, along with the look of complete and total trust. He reasoned, how could someone trust so completely and not be worthy of it in return. _Mary Ann, is not Laura,_ he told the inner demon, _she is so much more._

Having worked this through on his own, he answered, "I'm okay, now."

"Something was bothering you," she said. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Maybe tonight, when we are alone," he replied. "It was kinda' silly, once I thought about it."

"Okay," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck as she pulled him in for a long gentle kiss.

Any residual doubts Gilligan might have had, were erased by Mary Ann's expression of love.


	15. Chapter 14

**A/N:** This chapter contains a reference to an event in the story _**At The End of The World**_ by JWood201. Based on the episode _**X Marks the Spot**_, it's a truly gripping read.

* * *

**Chapter 14:**

Inside his hut, Gilligan looked down at the felt box, cradled in his hand. With great care he opened it to gaze at its contents.

A few nights ago, while Mary Ann was still in a coma, Mrs. Howell had given him the wedding set that she had originally slated for one of her many nieces.

"_I decided quite a while ago, that I wanted you and Mary Ann to have them,"_ she had told him, and Gilligan wondered just how long Mrs. Howell had known about the feelings he had for Mary Ann, feelings that he had only recently begun to explore in earnest.

Gilligan was almost certain Mrs. Howell expected him to ask Mary Ann to marry; in fact, he would have already done so had it not been for one small complication.

Mary Ann was still suffering from amnesia.

_Is it still okay for me to ask her now,_ he wondered to himself. Since she had awaken from the coma, the two of them had managed to reconnect, and by some stroke of fate, he was just as close to her, now, as he was before the accident. In some ways he felt even closer to her. The way she called him William made him feel very special. Even Laura had never called him by his given name.

Needing some fatherly advice, Gilligan approached the Skipper. It was earlier in the day, while they were loading the last of the supplies in the shelter. Although the Skipper was thrilled of the idea of his little buddy getting engaged, he suggested that they wait until she regains her memory, even though he was sure that her answer would be yes. The Skipper went on to say that he couldn't, in good conscious, perform a marriage for someone who had just lost their memory, at least not right away. A few months later, if it became clear that she wasn't going to recover her memories, and, she still wanted to marry Gilligan, he would gladly officiate for them.

There was one problem with that; _we may not have a few months. We may not even have tomorrow._ Tonight was the last full night they would have on the island before the asteroid hit, and based on the Professor's last set of calculations, the impact zone was moving north, in other words, closer to their island. Gilligan knew that he and Mary Ann may only have tonight to express their love to each other in a way that only a husband and wife can.

Once before, when the island had become the target for a military missile, Gilligan told Mary Ann that he would have married her if they had a week left instead of a day. At the time, they had known each other less than a year and when the crisis passed, as the missile failed to explode on impact, the promise went unmentioned by either of them. Gilligan, however, never forgot the endearing look on her face when he told her how he felt.

_I should have told her then that I loved her, and asked her to marry me. We'd have been married four years by now._

Gilligan reached a decision. Memory loss, or not, she was still his Mary Ann, and he wanted her to have the ring. He closed the box, slipped it back in his pocket and trudged out of the hut to find the love of his life.

...

While Gilligan was contemplating their future, Mary Ann was having an emotional crisis of her own. From her diary, she knew that Mrs. Howell had become somewhat of a surrogate mother to her and Gilligan, and to a lesser extent Ginger. And right now, she needed some motherly advice. Mary Ann had discreetly told the older woman that she wanted to speak with her privately after dinner so she was relieved when Mrs. Howell sent her husband on an errand.

"Come in, my dear," said Lovey Howell, as Mary Ann followed her to her hut.

"Thank you, Mrs. Howell," she began. "I really don't want to impose…"

"Nonsense, darling," interjected the elder woman. "Don't give it a second thought."

The two women sat across from each other and Mrs. Howell began, "Now, my dear, tell me what is troubling you."

"I don't even know where to begin, Mrs. Howell, I mean…well…you know how I feel about William, don't you?"

"I've known for a very long time, dear, much longer than you may suspect."

Mary Ann blushed, "I guess we haven't been very subtle lately."

"Would it surprise you to know that he has been in love with you since the day you met?" asked Mrs. Howell, in a gentle timbre.

Lowering her eyes, the young woman nodded her head. Even now, her heart was doing somersaults at the very thought.

"I know. Somehow, I feel like I've always known. Mrs. Howell, what am I going to do?" asked Mary Ann, launching into a tirade. "Tonight may be the last night in our lives and William and I will never have the chance to get married…have children…raise our family together…grow old together…I just want to be with him, Mrs. Howell."

"You still have tonight," Lovey replied, calmly.

"I don't think you understand, Mrs. Howell, I want to _be_ with him, as in making love with him…"

Mary Ann put her hand to her mouth, fully expecting the elder woman to be scandalized. She braced herself for a reprimand. But Mrs. Howell simply smiled a knowing smile.

"I _do_ understand, dear. If I were in your predicament, I would feel the same way about Thurston. Have the two of you asked the Captain to marry you?"

"William talked with him today. He said he would except for the problem of my memory loss. If my memory suddenly returns I may not remember my wedding night. In a way, I understand why he refused. If only we had more time…"

Mrs. Howell rose from her spot and sat on the bed next to Mary Ann and drew the young woman into her arms. Mary Ann began to quake as her ragged emotions rose to the surface.

"I love him, Mrs. Howell," she said through her tears.

"I know, darling, I know."

Lovey Howell paused a bit while Mary Ann tried to pull herself back together.

"I have a story which I'd like to share with you, if I may."

Mary Ann looked up at the elder woman, "Of course, Mrs. Howell."

...

At the table outside, the Skipper and the Professor were also discussing the young couple's future.

"Professor, I've never felt like such a heel. My little buddy finally realizes he has found the girl of his dreams and now, I have to refuse to marry them on a technicality."

"Skipper, don't be so hard on yourself. You made the right decision. As I said, Mary Ann could suddenly recover all her memory and lose the time in between. She would never remember being married to Gilligan, or remember their wedding night. I mean…can you imagine how she would feel? It's simply too risky."

The Skipper wasn't so easily consoled, "You saw the latest reports, Professor, and you know what they mean. What if tonight is all the time we have left?"

Roy Hinkley nodded, as if he had been contemplating that very scenario.

"Trust me, Skipper. It's been on the very forefront of my mind."

Redirecting the conversation, he asked, "Where is Gilligan? I haven't seen him since dinner."

"He was in our hut getting ready for his date with Mary Ann."

While the two men were talking, two doors opened simultaneously with Gilligan and Mary Ann both stepping out of the huts. Mary Ann looked as if she had been crying but managed a smile when she saw them. Gilligan had a strange air about him; he had dressed for the evening, although he still sported his white upside down sailor's cap which had become his trademark. Gilligan also wore a determined expression as if he had set his mind to finish something, something very important. As the Skipper and Professor watched, the young couple eyed each other and they quickly closed the space between them, meeting in a loving embrace. The Professor swore he could feel electricity in the air.

"Just give me a few minutes to get ready, William," he overheard Mary Ann say. She was wearing her hair up in a fancy style she would occasionally wear. It was a style that suited her.

When they parted, Gilligan joined the men at the table. Mr. Howell, who had just finished whatever errand he was sent on, joined them. Even though the four men had been working together as a finely tuned machine for the past week, the conversation soon faltered. They were all thinking the same thing and none of them wanted to put voice to the fear that they were forced to endure.

When Mary Ann rejoined them, all four of the men were blindsided by her appearance. Her makeup was impeccable and she had on the dress she only wore for very special occasions. Following Gilligan's lead, the rest of them quickly rose to their feet. Gilligan strode over to where she was standing.

"How do I look?" she asked him.

"Mary Ann, you look absolutely beautiful," said Gilligan, for once, not tripping on his words.

Seeing that she was carrying a large bag, he relieved her of her burden.

Offering his arm, he said, "Shall we?"

As the couple walked into the jungle towards the beach, the Skipper said to no one in particular, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

It was the Professor who answered, "I don't know what to think."

"Do you think they are going to…"

"Under the circumstances, Skipper, can we blame them?"

The Skipper rose from his chair, "I'd better put a stop to…"

"Sit down, Captain," a sharp female voice said.

The three men spun around to see Mrs. Howell approach the table.

"But Mrs. Howell, I think they are going to make a…"

"Skipper, is Gilligan's word worth anything?"

The Skipper deflated, the wind was taken right out of his sails. He lowered himself back into his seat.

"Yes, Mrs. Howell. My little buddy isn't anything if he isn't honest."

"Then trust him now," Lovey admonished lightly. "He gave me his word."

The Skipper wouldn't stake his life on many things, but, in his book, the word of his first mate was as good as gold and he allowed himself to relax.

"I see your point, Mrs. Howell," he said. Still, seeing the way both he and Mary Ann were dressed, still left him with a measure of concern. _Be strong, little buddy._


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15:**

Arms around each other, illuminated by the light from crescent moon, Mary Ann and Gilligan strolled down the beach.

They had not said much to each other since they left camp, but the lines of communications between the two were wide open. A gentle shift of their hands on each other, the shared glances, the quick pecks on each other's cheek, as well as the prolonged passionate kisses, had all but taken place of the spoken word.

Mary Ann knew that William had something special in mind for this evening, but she forced herself to relax and not question him about it. Instead, she broke the silence by asking him about the stars.

Pointing to the brightest pinpoint of light they could see, she asked, "Which star is that one, William. I don't remember seeing it before."

Gilligan turned his head to where she was pointing, "That's Jupiter. It's not a star, but one of the planets. If you look at it through a telescope, you can see it's four largest moons."

"Which star did you say was the brightest?"

"Sirius," said Gilligan. "It's also called the Dog Star, because it is part of the constellation The Great Dog. The only time you can see it, this time of year, is just before dawn."

"You know an awful lot about the night sky, William," she said.

Gilligan looked slightly embarrassed, as he often did when he was the center of attention. Seeing this, Mary Ann stopped and turned to him. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she gazed up at him.

"William, I have to be the luckiest girl in the world."

"Gee, Mary Ann," he replied. "I was thinking the same thing…that is…what I mean is…I'm the luckiest man alive, to be here with you."

Gilligan's face became serious, as he reached into his jacket pocket. He pulled a small box out and opened it in front of her. Mary Ann felt her breath catch as she saw its contents. Dropping to one knee, holding the diamond ring in front of her, he asked her the question he had been rehearsing for over four years.

"Mary Ann Summers, will you marry me?"

Her face broke into a huge smile and she felt her knees go weak. She couldn't find her voice for a moment and she found it hard to see with joyful tears filling her eyes. Still unable to speak, she nodded her head vigorously.

"Yes?" said Gilligan, taking her reaction as positive.

"Yes," she said, just above a whisper, finally finding her voice. "Oh William, yes, of course I will marry you!"

Gilligan carefully removed the diamond ring from its box and slipped it onto the third finger of her left hand. The ring fit her perfectly and when he rose to take her in his arms, she reached around his neck pulling him into a long deep kiss. It was a while before they came up for air.

"I love you Mary Ann. I've loved you from the day we met. I only wish we had more time."

"I love you too, William. And somehow I know I always have," she replied. "And I haven't given up, yet…William! Look, a falling star!"

He turned around just in time to see the remains of the meteor, as it was disintegrating in the atmosphere.

"Quick," Mary Ann said, "make a wish."

Hand in hand, the newly engaged couple stood with their eyes closed, hanging all their future dreams on the fleeting flash of light as it faded into the night.

On the way back to their special place on the beach, Mary Ann, began to sense a feeling of peace and well being, which filled her heart with joy, despite the impending danger that threatened them all.

...

A few miles away, at the lagoon, Ginger and the Professor were also engaged in non verbal communications.

"Roy, I don't think you've kissed me like that since we made that movie," said Ginger, when they drew apart."

The Professor was taken back a bit.

"I would hope that I have improved upon my technique since then," he replied, somewhat indignantly.

Ginger kissed him again, her forehead leaning against his. "I'm only teasing you," she said. "Truthfully, I don't think if ever been kissed like that."

The look in his eyes, along with his smile told her all she needed to know.

Slowly they began making their way back to camp, still holding hands. Ginger was still dancing on a cloud from the previous night when the Professor told her that he loved her.

She had heard the words 'I love you' so many times in her life from people who would say them as casually as 'what's for dinner'. To all of them, she was Ginger Grant, the famous movie star. Throughout her career, she had dated quite a few men and with very few exceptions, all they wanted was to date a star, not a person. Almost all of them had empty hearts and they lived only for the moment.

To Roy, she was simply Ginger, the person who wanted to help people, who had a sensitive side that few people, with the exception of the six others on this island, ever got to see. With him, she could be herself, not the vamped up sex symbol that Hollywood had turned her into.

"Roy, have you ever been in love before?" she asked.

The Professor didn't answer right away and she felt him tense up ever so slightly.

"Once," he finally said. "It was a very long time ago, how about you?"

"There was someone I met while I was still in high school," she began. "We started going steady in sophomore year, went to the junior and senior proms together. We were still dating the summer that we graduated, but I went to drama school in California, and he studied engineering at MIT. Once he left for school, we fell out of touch."

"Regrets?" he asked.

"Once in a while, I would think about him and wonder what might have been. But, mostly, I think we would have stayed in touch if we were soulmates."

The Professor raised an eyebrow.

"Gilligan thinks that he and Mary Ann are soulmates," the Professor remarked. "It's certainly a romantic notion, but I don't see much scientific evidence to support it."

"That's because you need to look with better eyes," she admonished him, ever so lightly. "From the moment she awoke from the coma, she knew she had a special bond with him. Do you want to hear my theory, Professor?"

They had come to the clearing and he turned to take her in his arms.

"Of course, I'd love to hear it."

"Mary Ann's…what did you call it…declarative memory resides in her head. Her feelings for, and connection to, Gilligan, come from the heart."

"Why Miss Grant," began the Professor, "that is a very astute observation."

"Why, thank you, Professor Hinkley."

She giggled at the exchange and kissed him again.

They separated and strode the last few steps to her hut.

"Goodnight, Ginger, I dearly enjoyed our time together, this evening…"

"Roy, please stay," she said, interrupting.

The Professor looked at his watch, "Ginger, I can't. Mary Ann will be back in a…"

"She's not coming back 'til morning."

The Professor's eyes opened wide in disbelief. "You're kidding?"

"No, I'm serious. She and Gilligan are spending the night on the beach."

Ginger couldn't tell what had shocked him more, learning about the young couple, or her invitation. He was still doing a pretty good imitation of a gaffed fish.

"Please, Roy, I really don't want to be alone tonight."

"Ginger, I'm very flattered, but I don't know if I…"

"Whatever happens, happens," she added. "I love you."

"You're sure that this is what you want?"

Ginger nodded; her lips were only inches from his. He answered by pressing his lips to hers. She squealed as he, in a single motion, swept her off her feet and carried her into the hut.


	17. Chapter 16

**A/N:** I would have liked to have given you all just a wee bit more of a peek, but doing so might necessitate an M rating. You'll just have to use your imagination to fill in the blanks. *grin*

**Chapter 16:**

Mary Ann awoke to the sound of bird song and found herself somewhat disorientated when she first opened her eyes. As she took in the sunlight vista of the west beach she remembered she had spent the night on the beach together with William. Recalling the events of the previous evening brought a serine smile to her face.

When they had left the camp, she had no idea that William was going to propose to her, only that they planned to sleep under the stars, cuddled in each other's arms. She checked her left hand and saw that the diamond ring was really there. _This wasn't a dream,_ she thought, as her heart jumped in her chest.

She soon remembered that they were still lying in a state of undress with William snuggled very close to her. Mary Ann smiled again, as she recalled his reaction when she told him she wanted to take a midnight swim.

...

"Mary Ann, we didn't bring any swimsuits," he protested.

"So, who is going to see us, besides the fish?" she countered. "Come on, William, I dare you."

"All right, I'll go in first. Turn around."

Mary Ann was forced to giggle, "Gee, William, I hope you're not this shy on our wedding night."

"I won't be," he said, in voice more confident than she had heard him use before. She turned around so he could undress.

"I can't wait," she called over her shoulder. A few seconds later, she heard him enter the water. By the time she spun around, he was already out a ways from shore. In the moonlight, she could still see him clearly. He was facing the ocean, allowing her privacy.

Mary Ann wasted no time, pausing only to lay her dress out on a rock so it would not be soiled. She rushed down the beach and plunged into the water, taking strong purposeful strokes that brought her out to where her fiancé waited. The water was still warm from the day's sun and she sighed in contentment.

"William, the water is beautiful," she said.

"Maybe you'd like some more," he said, cupping his hand and splashing her gently.

"William, don't you dare…"

Gilligan shot more water her way, instigating her to respond in kind. It wasn't long before a "no holds barred" splash fight ensued, with both of them determined to outdo the other. Mary Ann usually could hold her own, at least for a while, but she somehow knew he would get the best of her. _Not that I really mind._

Soon their playful frolicking in the water transformed into passionate kissing. Separated only by skin, she knew that she had wanted things to be like this for a very long time. As they became enthralled in the exploration of each other, Mary Ann pulled back, forcing them to pause.

"Sorry, Mary Ann, I didn't mean to…"

"Shhh, it's okay, William," she said, putting her finger to his lips. "I know how important it is to you, for us to wait until our wedding night."

"I tried, Mary Ann," he said, the sadness evident in his voice. "I begged the Skipper to marry us, but, he was afraid of what might happen."

Gilligan paused for a moment, "I wish we were back on the mainland. At least we could find a minister or Justice of the Peace that didn't know you have amnesia."

"I know, William. If it wasn't for the asteroid, I wouldn't mind waiting, but tonight might be our last night on Earth," she said, still considering what Mrs. Howell had told her earlier. She reached a decision.

"William, there is a way around this, if you are willing."

"How?" he asked. "The Skipper already said he wouldn't marry us right away…"

"This is an old custom," Mary Ann began. "In medieval Europe, Scotland, I think she said, many villages had no priests or ministers. When a man and woman wanted to get married, they would stand before God and pledge themselves to each other. Even witnesses weren't required."

"Gee, Mary Ann, you mean two people could say their vows to each other and they were really married?"

"Yeah, like I said, it's an old custom and it's not done anymore because there is no longer a need. Mrs. Howell said that, according to legend, a couple that married in this fashion enjoyed a stronger marriage."

"Is this what you want, Mary Ann? I mean…what if the Professor is right?"

"I've thought about this, William, in fact, I've written it all in my diary. Somehow I don't think I could ever forget the past few days. I love you, William. I want to marry you, tonight, I'm not afraid of forgetting all of this, but the decision is yours."

She watched him as he pondered what she knew was the biggest decision he had ever made. It didn't take him long.

"I love you too, Mary Ann. What do I have to do?"

Mary Ann told him the rest of what Mrs. Howell had conveyed to her. Standing in the water under the moonlight, in the sight of no one but the Almighty, the engaged couple joined hands and looked briefly up to Heaven.

Nervous, yet purposeful, Gilligan began, "I, William Gilligan, take you, Mary Ann Summers, to be my wife, to love, protect, and provide for, to keep above all others, 'til in death, do we part."

Mary Ann gazed up at him, overcome by love, "I, Mary Ann Summers, take you, William Gilligan, to be my husband, to love, honor, and cherish, to keep above all others, 'til in death, do we part."

They drew together in what started as a long gentle kiss, but soon morphed into waves of passion. Gilligan had swept her off her feet and carried her to shore. Ever so gently, he placed her on the blanket, taking his place next to her.

As the consummation of their love reached a crescendo, she felt the product of his unbridled love course through her. The culmination of passion and ecstasy triggered something in her mind and the floodgates were thrown open wide. She remembered everything, her family life, the shipwreck, her life on the island, and most important, her memories and feelings towards the man she had just married.

...

Mary Ann was pulled out of her reverie by his stirring, his arm draped around her torso. She turned so she was facing him and finished rousing him with a long gentle kiss.

"Good morning, my sweet husband," she said.

"Hi."

They engaged in another round of long kisses before speaking again.

"I can't believe we are really married," he said. "I pinched myself to see if this was real."

"I know, me too. I guess we never got to take that second swim," said Mary Ann.

"We must have fallen asleep."

"Gee, I wonder why that happened?" she asked, playfully.

Gilligan only grinned at her before he took her lips with his. They stayed in each other's arms for a while, not saying anything. The only motion was their hands as they softly caressed each other.

"I still say that I won the splash fight," Mary Ann quipped suddenly.

"No, I won, you cheated. You started kissing me, knowing I couldn't say no."

Mary Ann batted her eyes at him, "All's fair in love and war."

They both giggled for a minute, but soon they found themselves lost in each other's eyes again, caressing each other as they reveled in their loving embrace. Mary Ann just wanted to stay here all day with him, but she knew that the other's would come looking for them if they weren't back soon.

"William…Gilligan…I…I'm not really sure what to call you now. I've gotten used to calling you William. Do you mind?"

"I think I would like it if you call me William," he said.

"Okay"

She paused for a moment, and then remembered what she was thinking about, "We really have to get up and head back to camp," she said disappointment evident in her voice. "Ginger promised she would stall for us as much as she could, but you know the Skipper. He'll think we were taken by head hunters."

"Yeah, I know. He's always worrying about something. Remember when he found the Tiki statue and I had to play the Watubi to convince him that the evil curse had been lifted?"

"I know it! That was so funny to see you dressed as a witch doctor. And the way you pretended to break the curse by whacking him in the stomach with a stick. I'd never tell the Skipper this, and I certainly don't want this to sound like I'm being mean, but it seemed like fair play for all the times he swatted you with his hat."

"I know. It was kinda' funny," he added, hesitating a tad before he went on in a serious vein.

"Mary Ann, are you sure that you remember everything?" he asked, almost reluctant to go on. "I mean…everything that happened last night…our engagement…everything I said, and stuff?"

"And stuff?" she teased. "Yes, William, I remember it all, including the support of a mighty sailor who stood by me when I was afraid of being alone."

...

Back at the camp, the Skipper was getting restless. So restless, that he had started to form a trench in the sand where he was pacing.

"Skipper, I told you to relax," said Ginger. "I told you, Mary Ann and Gilligan wanted to spend the night on the beach sleeping under the stars. I'm sure they will be back soon."

"I just hope my little buddy remembered his manners. This isn't like him at all."

"Skipper, you have to understand," interjected the Professor. "Gilligan is not a boy anymore. Over the past month he has grown into a young man. Most of his growth in maturity has manifested itself in the past few days. His love and support have been instrumental in Mary Ann's progress towards recovery."

"But what if they…"

"Remember, Skipper," interrupted Ginger. "He gave Mrs. Howell his word."

"I still think he should have to answer for keeping that young lady out all night," quipped Mr. Howell. "It's scandalous I tell you. He must be a Yale man."

"Oh, Thurston, be quiet," said Mrs. Howell, admonishing her husband.

As the five remaining castaways were discussing the wayward couple, they emerged from the jungle path. Gilligan still had on his dress clothes although it was evident that they had both showered. Mary Ann had brought a change of clothing with her; the dress she had worn last evening was tucked neatly in her bag.

A calliope of voices assailed the newcomers as each one of them wanted to know what had transpired last night. Ginger was going on about how romantic it was, the Professor was calling for order, Mr. Howell was raving about behavior unbecoming of a gentleman while his wife chastised him, and the Skipper bellowed about wanting a word with the young man. It was Gilligan's voice that rose above the melee.

"Quiet, everyone!" he shouted in a command voice that would have made any ship captain proud.

The group was stunned when they realized that it was Gilligan who had spoken with such authority. Beside him, Mary Ann had to hold on for support as her knees had just gone weak.

When he was sure that he had everyone's attention, Gilligan continued, "Before anyone asks, whatever happened or didn't happen, between Mary Ann and I, is our business, so please, don't ask. But we do have a couple of things we need to tell you all."

He paused for effect and looked at the rest of the group. They were still in shock and he decided to take advantage of it.

"Last night, I asked Mary Ann to marry me, and she said, yes."

It was then that Ginger noticed the sparkler on Mary Ann's finger. She squealed with delight. A quick round of applause broke out before he raised his finger. Gilligan looked down at Mary Ann conveying a message with his eyes. She nodded and picked up where he left off.

"The second thing, William and I want to say is, my memory has returned. I remember everything, and everyone, and all that has happened since I woke up."

This time Gilligan couldn't regain their attention as the group gathered around them and showered the couple with hugs, handshakes, and kisses.

When he was able to, Gilligan whispered quietly to Mrs. Howell, "I kept my promise."

Lovey Howell smiled an all knowing smile and replied, "I know you did, darling. I know."


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17:**

Inside the girl's hut, Mary Ann packed the few items she was planning to take with her to the cave. She only took the things she was absolutely sure she would need for the evening, resigning herself to the fact that they would probably not survive the impact. At breakfast they all learned that the predicted path of the asteroid had shifted even further north, putting the impact point within fifty miles of their island.

The Navy had relocated all its personnel, stationed at Pearl Harbor, and sent all of the ships berthed there to sea. The entire southern exposure of the Hawaiian chain had been evacuated as the state prepared for a major tsunami.

Despite the impending doom, that they all faced, Mary Ann was at peace with herself. _I got engaged, married, and made love with the man of my dreams, all in the same night._ Even now, she felt as if she was walking on air.

The door opened behind her and Ginger strode into the hut.

"Hey, Mary Ann," she said.

"Hi, Ginger."

The two women had not had a chance to talk until now and Mary Ann knew her roommate was dying to ask about last night. And she couldn't help but wonder what transpired between Ginger and the Professor. But she had no intention of violating her husband's trust.

_My husband,_ she thought. She still was having a hard time believing it to be true. All she had to do was close her eyes and she could still feel his hands as they caressed her skin. She felt herself flush and she forced her mind elsewhere.

"Mary Ann, you're glowing," said Ginger.

"Oh, stop it."

"I'm serious," she insisted. "You're absolutely radiant."

Mary Ann couldn't help but grin as she was having trouble thinking about anything except for the events of the previous evening. Shifting the focus from herself, she replied, "You seemed to be quite preoccupied at breakfast."

"Just thinking about some things," she replied. "So, tell me about the proposal."

Mary Ann told Ginger, how Gilligan dropped to one knee and managed to ask without tripping all over his words. She could still feel her heart beating double time as she relived the event.

"Gilligan did that?"

"Yeah, he did. Gosh, Ginger, I'll never forget this night as long as I live. The whole evening was just so perfect. William is such a wonderful man."

"You still call him William," observed Ginger.

"I know. When my memory came back I wasn't sure what I should call him, I'd gotten so used to calling him William so I asked him if it was all right."

"When _did_ you get your memory back?"

"It was sometime after I told him I would marry him," said Mary Ann. She couldn't very well tell her that she regained her memory while she was making love with her new husband. They had decided to keep their nuptials a secret, knowing that the group would want to hold a more elaborate ceremony. That is, assuming that the approaching asteroid didn't pulverize them all.

Mary Ann knew she should be afraid, but somehow the only thing that was real to her was the fact that she and William were married.

"Come on, Ginger, let's get this stuff outside," she said, pointing to the two bags the girls had packed.

...

Mirroring his new wife, Gilligan was packing his duffle bag when the Skipper joined him in their hut.

"Hey Skipper."

"Hello, Gilligan," the big man said. "I'd like to talk to you."

Going on the defensive, Gilligan said, "Skipper, if this is about Mary Ann…"

"No, little buddy, I'm not going to ask you what happened last night," interrupted the Skipper. "You were absolutely right. What happened between you and Mary Ann last night, is none of our business."

Gilligan relaxed a little, and the Skipper continued, "I just wanted to congratulate you on your engagement, and I wanted to apologize."

"Apologize for what, Skipper?"

"For refusing to marry the two of you," he replied. "Gilligan I feel terrible about it."

The First Mate placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Skipper, you did what you thought was right, and you were right. You don't have to apologize. I know how hard that must have been for you."

"Then you're not angry?"

"Of course not," said Gilligan. "And now that Mary Ann has got her memory back, you can marry us."

Gilligan saw his friend's face drop.

"We had to disassemble the raft to build the platform on the ledge. We won't have time to rebuild it before tonight. You heard the report on the radio, Gilligan. We probably won't survive the night."

Gilligan wondered if he should just tell his friend that he was already married, but he quickly dismissed the idea, knowing that this was something he would need to discuss with his wife.

"We must have faith, Skipper. We've managed our way out of messes before. This is no different."

The big man rose from his chair and took his little buddy into a bear hug.

"Gilligan, I'm very proud of you. You've grown up."

...

The group of castaways slowly made their way up the steep path that led to the cliff and the cave above. Each of them carried a full load of necessities for the night. When they reached the bottom of the cliff, the Skipper sent the Professor up first to offload the supplies and to help the ladies safely traverse the platform.

Once their bags were secure, up top, the Skipper asked Ginger to climb into the boson's chair, and the crew of the Minnow worked together to haul her up the side of the cliff. They repeated this for Mary Ann, Mrs. Howell, Mr. Howell, and finally the Skipper. Gilligan was the last to climb, being the only member of the group who could haul himself up.

When Ginger had stepped off the platform, she pulled the Professor into a hug.

"We're not going to make it, are we Roy?"

"I was hopeful when the target was further south, but now, I honestly don't know. Everything depends on how much of its mass survives the trip through the atmosphere."

She pulled away just enough to look at him. A tear appeared in the corner of her eye and the Professor brushed it aside.

"Remember your promise," she said to him.

"You'll be in my arms, whatever happens."

With that, they drew into a long deep kiss.

"Professor, I'm sending Mary Ann up now," the Skipper called from below.

When he didn't respond right away, the Skipper yelled again, "Professor!"

Hinkley broke off the kiss and yelled over his shoulder, "All right, send her up."

Reluctantly, he released his hold on Ginger and busied himself with the task at hand.

...

By nightfall, the sky was filled with shooting stars. It was the largest meteor shower that any of them had ever seen.

"Gee, Professor," said Gilligan. "I've never seen anything like this before."

Hinkley's face drew into a grin as he looked over at the young man who was sitting with his back against the rock face looking up at the stars. In front of him, Mary Ann was leaning into his chest with his arms wrapped around her protectively. It reminded him of the night Ginger dragged him out to spy on the young couple. Gilligan had come a long way in just a month.

"It's the dust and debris in front of the asteroid," he said. "Some of the larger pieces may start raining down in about an hour or so. We will want to be inside when that happens."

As soon as the Professor finished speaking, a meteor came screaming through the sky, impacting somewhere just south of the lagoon.

"I think we had better get inside," said Gilligan.

...

Mary Ann and Gilligan had found a quiet dark corner in the cave, still in sight of the others, yet still allowing for a small measure of privacy. The young couple turned in before the rest wanting to spend the last hours of their lives cuddled together.

Outside, the sounds of meteor impacts could be heard inside the cave occasionally being close enough to cause the ground to rumble. Sometime before midnight the meteor shower stopped, another thing that the Professor said would happen. It meant that the asteroid was very close now.

Holding his wife in his arms, Gilligan was at peace with himself as he contemplated all of the events that had led up to this day. From the tropical storm that shipwrecked them to the many perils they had all faced, Gilligan was well acquainted with danger. He found it somewhat amusing that threats like the one they faced now, didn't frighten him as much as the man made perils they had endured. Maybe it had to do with the fact that events like this were in the hands of the Almighty and Gilligan believed that whatever He did, He did for a reason.

People, on the other hand, were a different story, people like Jackson Farrell, Poncho Rodriguez, Dr. Boris Balinkoff, Norbert Wiley, or worst of all Jonathan Kincaid. Typhoons and asteroids weren't evil, but these people were. Each of them knew the difference between right and wrong and they chose to be evil. Gilligan shuddered as he remembered how Kincaid had threatened to hunt Mary Ann if he didn't show himself.

"William, are you all right?" she asked him, quietly.

Gilligan knew she must have felt his shiver. He kissed her on the forehead.

"Yeah, I'm okay, Mary Ann."

"What time is it?"

Gilligan looked at his watch.

"It's half past midnight," he said.

Mary Ann tightened her embrace as she reached to take his lips with her own. They held on for a very long time.

"I love you, William," she said, as they parted.

"I love you too, Mary Ann. I always have."

She rested her head back on his chest, fighting to stay awake, but the stress of the day and the lack of sleep the night before, was taking its toll on both of them. They soon dozed off in each other's arms.

_Maybe it's better this way, _formed Gilligan's last conscious thought.


	19. Chapter 18

**A/N:** Sorry for the delay in posting, RL got in the way. Just the epilogue to go, then it's on to the follow on!

* * *

**Chapter 18:**

When Mary Ann awoke from a deep slumber, she did not quite know where she was. It was dark, except for the muted shaft of illumination that bathed the room in what seemed like fickle fairy light. She could feel the presence of her husband, his arm still draped around her as he slept. She was confused, not expecting to wake at all, or to find herself in a place of light. The cool darkness of her surroundings set her ill at ease.

_Are we in hell,_ she wondered to herself, remembering a childhood description of the underworld.

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes she looked around again and she remembered. Turning quickly to face her husband, she roused him to consciousness.

"William…William, wake up."

Gilligan stirred slowly, unwilling to let go of sleep and Mary Ann shook him again.

"Huh?" he offered, still not quite awake yet.

"William, what time is it?"

Gilligan finally realized his wife was asking something of him. He sat up and looked around.

"Boy, this sure doesn't look like heaven. Do you think we went to the other place?"

Mary Ann smiled, remembering her own disorientation. "I think we survived, William. What time is it?" she asked again.

Gilligan glanced down at his watch, straining to see the hands in the muted light. "It's just after seven," he said. "Let's have a look outside."

He stood and took her hands to help her up. "William, I'm scared," she said as they walked towards the light, with her wrapped on his arm.

"So am I, Mary Ann," he replied.

The young couple walked out onto the ledge and into the light. The sun had just crested the horizon and its warmth comforted both of them. As they looked out over the island, they saw columns of smoke rising from many spots in the jungle.

"William…the asteroid…what happened to it?"

"I don't know, Mary Ann. Maybe it blew up into a million pieces."

As they stood watching over the vista, the remaining castaways emerged from the cave.

"We're still alive," said the Skipper, to no one in particular. "It's a miracle!"

The Professor surveyed the landscape below in silence. Beside him, still clinging to his arm, Ginger asked, "Roy, what happened? Why are we still here?"

"The asteroid must have disintegrated when it hit the atmosphere. That would explain the fragmentation and multiple impacts."

The Skipper called back to the Howells, who were just coming out of the cave. "Mr. Howell, grab the radio if you would."

A few seconds later, Howell rejoined the group with the radio in hand. Quickly he turned it on and tuned around for a news station.

"…_had action not been taken, the asteroid, named Object X, would have devastated most of the southern coast of the Hawaiian chain. Repeating this morning's top story, in a joint military action, the United States and the Soviet Union, targeted the wayward asteroid with two nuclear tipped rockets, shattering most of its bulk into pieces no larger than an automobile. According to NASA experts, most of these pieces would have burned up in the atmosphere, and those that did survive the trip would be in the form of meteorites, no larger than a baseball."_

"_In a joint statement issued by the White House and the Kremlin, it was stated that, while we are separated by political boarders, and both political and ideological differences, it is a fundamental truth that we are all citizens of Earth."_

"_Two rockets were used in the operation, a Saturn V, launched from Cape Kennedy, and a N1, launched from the Baikonur Cosmodome. Each rocket carried one warhead and they were detonated in quick succession at an altitude of fifty thousand miles, or less than half the distance from the Earth to the Moon. With the success of this mission, NASA and the Russian Space Agency expressed interest in continuing to explore the possibility of future joint ventures in space."_

"Did you hear that?" asked Gilligan. "The asteroid, they blew it up!"

"I guess the Skipper was right," said the Professor. "The United States and the Soviet Union working for the common good is a miracle."

"Maybe we will end up being friends with the Russians, instead of fighting and threatening each other."

"We may at that, Gilligan."

Grateful to have survived, the group engaged in a melee of handshakes, hugs and kisses. When the impromptu celebration ended, the Skipper led them all in a prayer of thanksgiving.

Beside her new husband, Mary Ann could not quell the tears of happiness and she latched on to his arm for support. All her dreams, everything she had hoped for she had given up for lost. And now, unexpectedly, they had been granted a second chance. She looked up at him as he wrapped a strong arm around her. His eyes too, were drenched in tears and she leaned her head on his shoulder knowing he was thinking the same thing.

...

By late afternoon, things had returned to semblance of normality and the castaways planned a huge celebration feast, to honor the engagement of the two youngest members of the group, and to celebrate the second lease on life they had all been given. The meal consisted of lobster, crab, fish, pineapples, and of course Gilligan's favorite, coconut cream pie. Tomorrow morning, the Skipper, the Professor, and Mr. Howell would work to construct a raft for the wedding ceremony.

"Afternoon weddings are just so romantic," quipped Mr. Howell. She was elated at the thought of finally getting the chance to plan the nuptials for the young couple.

The music on the radio was interrupted by another news announcement.

"Mr. Howell, turn that up please," said the Skipper.

"…_and as a result of the fragmentation of the asteroid, an area containing several uncharted islands was subjected to concentrated impacts from the debris. A scientific expedition will be sent to these islands to recover as many of the asteroid fragments as possible, in an effort to better understand these celestial bodies."_

"By Jove, Skipper, a scientific expedition is coming to the island," exclaimed Mr. Howell. "At last, we're going to be rescued!"

Shouts of glee emanated from around the table and this time, Mary Ann and Gilligan joined in the enthusiasm, knowing that they were going to be together now that they would be officially married tomorrow.

In the midst of the excitement, Mary Ann noticed the Professor looking at Ginger and his expression seemed to be asking a question. Her suspicions were confirmed when Ginger nodded. The Professor stood and cleared his throat.

"May I have your attention, please?"

The group suddenly became quiet. The last time the Professor asked that question, they were all in grave danger.

"Over the past week, Ginger and I have engaged in several very long conversations concerning our future." He reached down and placed his hand on Ginger's shoulder and she covered his hand with her own.

"To be honest, neither one of us expected to be alive today, never mind making plans about tomorrow. Last night, I asked her to marry me…"

The rest of his sentence was drowned out by the cheer that went up. Mary Ann jumped up from her chair and ran to Ginger. The two women embraced in joy.

"Let's have a double wedding," she said to Ginger.

"Are you sure you wouldn't mind?"

"Of course not," said Mary Ann. She could tell that the actress was thrilled by the idea.

"A double wedding, what a delightful affair," added Mrs. Howell.

...

Arms around each other, Mary Ann and Gilligan walked down what had become their beach. A cool breeze was blowing off the water adding a chill to the evening air.

"I'm going to miss our island, William."

"I'll miss it too, Mary Ann. Maybe we can hide when the boat comes for everyone else."

"Don't think that I haven't thought about it. Once we get back to the mainland, we'll have to find a place to live, find jobs. Although I have to admit, having hot running water does have some appeal."

"Yeah, a long hot shower would be nice," he added.

"You mean a long hot shower, with each other," Mary Ann said conspiratorially. She turned to draw him in for a long kiss. They stayed in each other's arms for a long time.

When the kiss ended, Gilligan asked, "We _do_ need to decide where we are going to live. Are we staying in Hawaii, or going to live in Kansas?"

"I want to go home to visit my family," said Mary Ann. "After that, well, we'll have to discuss it. I think you could learn farming and I know you would be good with the animals, but I think sailing is in your blood. You can't do that in Kansas."

"I heard the Skipper and Mr. Howell talking about a new boat and some kind of partnership, but he said it might take a year to get everything together. Mr. and Mrs. Howell have promised to take care of us, but I think I should be the one that should be taking care of you."

"The Howells are like parents to us, William. Once we get settled, we can do something nice for them. Besides, I really want to spend some time at home. Aunt Martha and Uncle George are going to want to meet you too. Of course, Aunt Martha will try to convince us to have a huge family, the more, the merrier."

"Do you want a big family, Mary Ann?"

"Not as big as Aunt Martha would want. I love children, but I want to have time for my husband too. I want our children to know how much we love each other."

"Me too," replied Gilligan, pulling her closer. He whispered into her ear, "So, when do we start?"

"My, aren't we getting frisky. Save it for tomorrow night, my love. And I want to start our family soon, very soon."

With that, she joined her lips with his.


	20. Epilogue

**Epilogue:**

It was another five and a half weeks before a pair of research vessels arrived off their little island. In that time the little community had grown from one married couple, to three, and the living arrangements needed to be adjusted. Being the only single member of the group, the Skipper moved into the supply hut, allowing Gilligan and Mary Ann to take up residence in the hut he once shared with his little buddy. The Professor moved in with his new wife, leaving most of his lab equipment behind. They all expected to be rescued in short order so it seemed pointless to expend the effort in what would prove to be a temporary measure. "Besides," said Ginger, as she wrapped her arms around her new husband, "if I get my way, and I usually do, you're not going to have time to be playing with test tubes and such." Any retort he might have given was whisked away as she drew him in for a long kiss.

The leader of the research team had been delighted to learn that the castaways had spent some time to document locations for some of the larger asteroid fragments. It was decided that one of the vessels would return to Honolulu in a few days, with seven new passengers and the first batch of scientific samples. After an examination, the ship's doctor pronounced them all to be in perfect health. The next few days seemed to fly by as the group prepared to leave their island home. Even the Howell's had expressed a certain bit of sadness about the pending journey.

On the evening of their departure, Mary Ann went to sickbay to consult with the doctor. She had been feeling queasy for the past few days and she at first thought it might have been the anticipation of being rescued, but it soon dawned on her that her sudden bout of illness could be something else; something wonderful.

After the doctor had confirmed her suspicions, Mary Ann rushed topside to find her husband. She could hardly contain her excitement. She found him where she knew he would be, standing on the fantail of the ship, looking back at the island which had been their home for so long. Her exhilaration abated somewhat as she saw the wistful expression carved into the face of her husband.

"William?"

When he turned to face her, the melancholy look turned to delight, as it did every time he saw her.

"Mary Ann," he said, reaching to her with both arms, "…hi."

Safely in his embrace, she looked up, "William, are you all right?"

"Sure, Mary Ann, it's just…"

He looked back towards the island as it slowly receded from view. His expression once again took on a wistful flavor.

"…I'm going to miss our little island," he finished.

"I know. So am I," she added. "Even if we didn't have hot showers, it was still home."

Mary Ann turned in his arms and followed his gaze, both of them watching their island home recede into the distance. The sun had dipped below the horizon and the brightest of the stars had just begun to show. Mary Ann placed one of her hands on her husband's as his hand rested on her belly. She smiled at the significance which he was still yet unaware. They stayed there until the island was no longer visible.

"I went to see the doctor," she said, offhandedly as she could.

She felt him tense up immediately, an action that only reaffirmed his love for her.

"Mary Ann, are you okay? You're not sick, are you?" he asked, babbling in his concern.

"No William, I'm fine," she assured him. "But I do have something wonderful to tell you." She turned to him, holding one of his hands on her belly.

Perhaps it was something about being married and being responsible for someone else that made Gilligan seem to realize what his wife was trying to tell him. His eyes went wide and his face lit up as he asked, "You mean…you are…we are…I am…"

"Yes, William," she said, her eyes never leaving his. "I'm pregnant. We're going to have a baby."

William Gilligan collected her in his arms, swinging her around with delight. He suddenly stopped, becoming very concerned for her well being.

"Mary Ann…I'm sorry. Did I hurt you…?"

"No, William, I'm fine, you didn't hurt me. Being pregnant is a normal healthy condition."

"You're sure?"

"Trust me, I'm sure."

With that, she reached up and kissed him, and they wrapped in each other's embrace. As she took in all of the affection her husband gave her she knew that no matter what life had in store for them, she would always be safe in the arms of love.

END

_I want arms that know how to rock me, safe in the arms of love,_

_I want to fall and know that love has caught me, safe in the arms of love,_

_Safe in the arms of love,_

_Safe in the arms of love._


End file.
